


Days of Reckoning

by LadyDeb



Series: Themes and Variations [5]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alice is determined not to lose her father or her son, Jack doesn't lose everything this time, Multi, maybe not a happy ending but definitely a hopeful one, re-write of Children of Earth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-03
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2017-12-04 04:55:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 72,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/706793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDeb/pseuds/LadyDeb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was five days that forever changed Great Britain and the world.  Five days that Torchwood has been preparing for since Gray returned with Jack.  But will it be enough?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue:  A Stirring of Evil

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so here we have the next installment in the Points of Departure series and the re-write of Children of Earth. To say that I completely turn Torchwood canon upside down on its head, shake it a few dozen times, and then turn it upside down again, is a minor understatement. However, I can tell you this: at the request of rhia_starsong, I’ve included two conversations/confrontations between Alice and Lucia. One will be one-sided … the other, not so much. That’s all I’ll say about that, because I don’t want too many spoilers. And to say that Children of Earth will have a much different ending this time around is a mega-understatement. It won’t be a completely happy ending, but it will be a hopeful one, and I think that’s all any of us have ever asked, because this is Torchwood.

Disclaimer:  Captain Jack Harkness, the Torchwood team and concept, and his family, don’t belong to me (although I like to think I take somewhat better care of them, especially Jack).  They belong to BBC, Starz Studios, and Russell T. Davies.

 

 

London, England

July 2009

 

 

She never really thought about the amount of time they spent in graveyards … maybe because Torchwood operatives rarely lived past the age of thirty-five, and death was a constant companion.  Scratch that … they rarely attained the age of thirty-five, much less living past it.  Her mother was a rarity, but only because she took her small daughter and left Torchwood.  Left Torchwood, left her father, left the man she claimed to love.  _Or_ , as Owen sourly put it when she finally told him the story, _she cheated_.  Her lips twitched as she thought about the man she thought she could love.  Oh, she was a bit older than him, and she knew that her father would have Owen’s arse if things went bad between them (and not in a good way), but yes, she thought she could love Owen.  She stared at her mother’s grave, murmuring, “Do you know, I still haven’t forgiven you for that, Mum?  Not just taking me away from Dad, but for trying to turn me against him … for lying to me about him.  You taught me that Dad always lies, and he has lied.  But your lies are bigger than his.”

Alice Carter, born Melissa Moretti, paced in front of her mother’s grave.  Steven was in school, while Esther and Ianto were spoiling Alice’s father.  It’d been a hard year for Torchwood, though not without some bright spots.  There was the wedding of Rhys Williams and Suzie Costello … and Alice was beyond happy for her friend, because of all people, Suzie deserved to find a good man who could fill in the missing pieces of her heart and soul.  And much to the astonishment of all, they were able to adopt a toddler girl named ‘Anwen,’ who was left orphaned by the recent Dalek invasion.  Jack merely smiled a bit sadly when he was told her name, and Alice guessed that was the name of Rhys and Gwen’s daughter in the other reality.  There was also the birth of her new cousin … Devin Shayne Harkness, born to Gray and Tosh just a few months earlier.  Not surprisingly, little Devin never lacked for someone to hold him.  Also not surprisingly, aside from Mummy and Daddy, his favorite person to hold him was his namesake and Uncle Jack.  Devin always settled right down when Alice’s father held him.

She continued after a moment, “Do you know what the biggest lie of all is, Mum?  That Dad asked for any of this.  He never asked to be immortal.  He never asked to die and come back to life, he never asked to watch the people he loved die or turn against him because he remains young and beautiful while we wither and age and die.  I finally got it, and it was because of Esther.  She’s young and beautiful, but she won’t always be young.  She said, almost off the cuff, that it said more about your insecurity … and mine … that we resented Jack, than it does about him.  Think about that for a minute, Mum.  The fault, the weakness, is with us. She’ll age, Mum, just like we will, but do you know … she’ll still be beautiful.  Even if she lives to be eighty-five, she’ll still be beautiful, because she’s beautiful on the inside.”

Alice thought about her confrontation with Suzie Costello Williams years earlier, when Suzie realized that Jack couldn’t stay dead.  She slowly shook her head, murmuring, “Dad is no saint.  He’s no angel, and do you know, Mum, I don’t think I’d love him nearly as much as I do if he was.  But he’s a good man and he does his best, and that’s all any of us have the right to ask of him.  We expect him to have all the answers and to always make the right decisions … even when the best decision available to him can’t save everyone … but he’s only human, and _we_ have to take responsibility as well.  That finally got driven home to me when I watched him die day after day after day on the Valiant, to protect us and to protect the Jones family.  They love him, you know.  They love him so much, and I pity anyone who harms Dad if Francine Jones finds out about it.”  She paused, allowed her lips to quirk just a little, and then she added, “On second thought, no … actually, no, I _don’t_.”

Her mother told her so many times while she was growing up that she was protecting her from her father.  Looking back now, though, Alice realized that wasn’t the truth.  If she was protecting anyone, Lucia Moretti was protecting herself.  She said softly, “You took me from my father.  You convinced me that he didn’t love me.  But the truth is, you did it to hurt him.  I don’t think I’ll ever forgive you for that, Mum.  You _used_ me to hurt my father.  So many times while I was growing up, you went on and on about the bond between a mother and a child, and what a mother would do to protect her child.  But if I’ve learned anything from giving birth to and raising Steven, it’s that a mother puts her child’s well-being ahead of her own.  You didn’t do that.  And if I hadn’t met Suzie … a woman whose mother eventually did put her well-being first … I might have become just like you.  But I _am_ the daughter of Captain Jack Harkness, I _am_ my father’s daughter and I am _beyond_ proud of that.  You may have won the battle when you took me away from my dad, Mum, but you _lost_ the war!”

With those words, Alice stalked away from her mother’s grave.  She felt a little lighter, but that albatross of resentment she felt toward her mother still lingered just under her breastbone, and she didn’t know how to get rid of it.  So many times, her father counseled her to let it go, to forgive her mother, but Alice couldn’t.  Not when her mother’s words to her ex-husband could have resulted in Alice and Steven dying if Jack and Suzie hadn’t been present.  Not when her mother poisoned her memories of her father, not when … wait.  She stared at the road, her heart seeming to take up residence in her throat.

In the street, children stood, speaking in unison.  Cars screeched to a halt to avoid hitting the youngsters and Alice breathed, “Oh, no.”  She remembered what her father told her, about those first days of the catastrophe that destroyed his world.  It was their hope (Torchwood as a whole) that the 456 wouldn’t return, but in their heart of hearts, each knew better.  During the last few months, using her father’s false memories (but were they really false), Suzie and Alice began putting contingency plans in place.

For now, Alice fumbled in her pocket for her mobile, hit the speed dial number for the Hub, and said tensely, “Suzie, it’s me.  Yeah, I’ll be leaving in a few minutes.  It’s started, and we can start expecting the attacks soon.  I know.  I know, and if they decided that putting a bomb in my father is a good way to ‘contain’ him, we have new avenues open to us.  Right.  Right, I’m on my way back.  I’ll see you soon … kiss Anwen for me.  Bye.”  She ended the call decisively and made her way back to her car, absently taking note of the way the children returned to their senses and carried on as if nothing happened.   To them, it hadn’t, and that was good.  But for Alice, as she started her car, she swore that this time, she wasn’t losing her father _or_ her son.  She would _die_ first.

 

TBC


	2. Just a Bit of Fluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jack, Ianto and Esther luxuriate in the afterglow after an intimate three-way encounter (not much actual sex, but still kinda steamy … I freely admit that my sex scenes suck rocks, nearly as much as my action sequences do); Gray spends some quality time with his wife and infant son; and Suzie gets her turn as a bad-ass mama.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we have the first chapter of ‘Days of Reckoning.’ As the title implies, it starts out fluffy (and sexy), but starts turning dark in the third section. The format will be different from ‘Children of Earth’ as well, since that focused on the individual days, thus, this story will be more than five chapters long.

Cardiff, Wales

Flat of Ianto Jones

Same Day

 

 

They made quite the picture, one that he wished he could paint, or at least draw … the handsome, mostly-naked, dark-haired man lying with his head in the lap of the beautiful, completely-naked blonde girl.  However, he knew that both partners would have insisted on him including himself in that painting or sketch, and he was never very good at self-portraits.  Still.  That temptation was there, which was common in this relationship.  And perhaps it wasn’t the most conventional relationship, but Ianto Jones realized long ago that ‘conventional’ went out the window as soon as he joined Torchwood (yes, even Torchwood London, for all its formalities).  Besides, ‘unconventional’ could be quite … rewarding. 

Right now, that ‘reward’ came in the form of Jack’s purring as Ianto rubbed his thumb over the arch of his bare foot and his sleepy smile.  Ianto really did enjoy these ‘spoiling days,’ as Suzie had taken to calling them … usually rolling her eyes with an affectionate smile.  And he knew that both of his partners enjoyed it.  Every once in a while, Ianto would look up to smile at Esther as she ran her fingers through Jack’s hair.  Her long hair spilled down her shoulders and back and (mostly) covered her breasts.  She looked a bit like paintings he’d seen of Lady Godiva, and Ianto wondered briefly if he could convince her to ride a horse while naked.  She smiled up at Ianto and he took the silent invitation, leaning forward to kiss her lightly.

“You know, that’s really hot,” Jack murmured drowsily.  Ianto looked down with a small smile.  Jack reached around to caress Esther’s spine as she leaned forward to accept Ianto’s kiss, his eyes still closed, and their captain added, “Don’t need to have my eyes open.  Got m’ other senses.  ‘Sides, it’s always enjoyable to watch you two kiss.”  Ianto and Esther exchanged another smile, and the young Welshman leaned sideways to place a light kiss on Jack’s breastbone, drawing a soft sigh of pleasure.  Really, he loved touching them both … and if their odd little relationship was strange for him, he couldn’t imagine how bizarre it was for Esther.  But she gave as good as she got (sometimes even bashing their heads together when she thought they needed it), and now Ianto didn’t want to think of a life without both Jack and Esther.

As Ianto continued his two-pronged attack, Esther murmured, “Shift up, sweetheart.”  There was a faintly protesting groan, but Jack slid further up onto Esther’s lap, gasping a little as Ianto’s caresses moved with him.  The faintly protesting groan turned into a moan of pleasure when the next kiss brushed soft skin much further south.  Esther grinned, brown eyes twinkling, and she began rubbing Jack’s shoulders.  Ianto smiled again, but this time it was tinged with sadness.  He was starting to realize they all needed this … not just Jack, who was getting run-down with everything that happened in the last year, but all three of them.  For that matter, it had been a helluva year for the entire team.  But Jack … it was Jack who really suffered the most.

They’d made love three times in the last day and night.  Suzie was watching over things at the Hub, and smiled indulgently when Ianto and Esther literally tugged Jack out, Ianto threatening to knock Jack unconscious and throw him over his shoulder if he didn’t move his cute arse.  And then he thoroughly ravished Jack in the back of the SUV while Esther drove back to the flat the three of them shared.  That was round one.  Round two came when all three were inside the flat, and Esther nearly knocked Jack on his arse with her kiss.  They didn’t even make it into the bedroom, just tore each other’s clothes off in the foyer, exchanging desperate kisses, frantic touches, and small bites and nips.

There was a brief respite as they caught their breath, with round three beginning in the foyer and ending up in the bedroom.  Ianto would begin round four with a massage, when Jack’s breathing told him that the captain was ready.  There was a particular hitch he listened for, that led to Jack’s eyes darkening with desire.  Jack and Esther did the same for him after a particularly unpleasant case, one that brought back memories of his mother … he repaid Esther in kind after Jack returned from the planets’ return, and now it was time for Jack to benefit from their odd little quid pro quo.  He loved touching Jack … loved the feel of his muscles and skin under his hands, loved the way Jack’s blue eyes darkened with desire, the sounds Jack made when he touched him.  And while sex wasn’t about trust with Jack, Ianto still appreciated the trust which his immortal captain showed him. He and Esther could make Jack come totally undone, could render him totally unguarded, and coming from a man who couldn’t stay dead, that level of trust took Ianto’s breath away.

Right now, however, he was more interested in taking Jack’s breath away, abandoning the light caresses of Jack’s arches to stroke his fingers up along Jack’s long legs, run his thumbs along the ridges of his hips before cupping his waist and ribcage with the palms of his hands and sliding his hands up the other man’s chest.  Jack slowly blinked his eyes open once more, a lazy smile crossing his handsome face.  That smile, as ever, did obscene things to Ianto and with a wink to the blonde woman holding his head in her lap, Ianto leaned down to claim Jack’s mouth.  Esther breathed, “Oh, that’s _beautiful_.  You _two_ are beautiful.”

“You’re next, you little … oh.  Oh God, _Yan_ ,” Jack groaned as Ianto pulled back and allowed his mouth to follow the path of his fingers, kissing his chest, licking at his nipples, whispering caresses along his ribs.  Thus far, he was being quite naughty, and avoiding the usual areas of arousal.  That was quite deliberate … this time, at least, although there were times when things just worked out that way.  The truth was, he wanted to tease Jack just a little.  Not to be cruel, but because Jack’s entire existence was a tease to Ianto Jones at times.  Besides, Jack was beautiful under any condition, but like this … like this, he could stop Ianto’s heart, and the younger male wouldn’t have complained.  There was an odd sound … not a moan or a gasp or a groan or a keen … but a combination of them all, and Jack gasped, “Yan, _please_!”

“Hmm … Ianto, he’s talking too much.  Evidently, we’re not doing this right, because usually, by now, we have him totally inchoate.  Do I have your permission to silence him?  We can still hear the important things, naturally,” Esther asked as she shifted Jack’s head from her lap, and eased her body backward.  Ianto looked up and captured the blonde’s lips with his own, drawing a frustrated groan from Jack, and then nodded.  Yes, she had his blessing … she knew exactly what she was doing, and Esther smiled down at Jack, before lowering her head to kiss him.  For some reasons, those upside down kisses fired up Ianto’s libido, and he launched another two-pronged attack of his own … aided when Esther intertwined her fingers with Jack’s. 

The ‘L’ word was never mentioned.  But the truth was, Ianto didn’t need to hear that word.  Maybe it would be nice to hear it, but Jack told them both that he loved them with every look, with every smile, with the quiet little gestures that a less perceptive person wouldn’t notice.  Jack loved them both, and Ianto realized a long time ago that he loved both of his partners as well.  Maybe not quite the same way, but that was all right.  And it was equally all right that he didn’t know what to call them.  They were them … they were Jack, Ianto and Esther … and that was all that mattered.  He was at peace with himself and his relationship with the other two members of this odd little partnership … and that left him free to relish the sounds that Jack made, muffled against Esther’s mouth, as Ianto pressed a light kiss to the patch of skin just under his navel.  Relish those sounds, relish the pleasure, because Ianto knew it wouldn’t last.

They were Torchwood, after all.  There was often more sadness than joy in their lives, but oh, the joy that they were blessed with?  That made up for _every_ darkness. 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 How in the name of the Face did he get so _lucky_?

Grayson Harkness brushed a kiss to his sleeping son’s forehead, smiling down at the infant who nestled in his arms so trustingly, before returning his attention to the mother of his son.  His beautiful Tosh was sound asleep as well … evidently, Gray reached Devin before Tosh was too awake to go back to sleep.  Gray couldn’t help but pat himself on the back.  Not only did he get his son back to sleep with very little fussing, but he managed to do it without waking his wife fully.  As he slid back into bed with Tosh, Gray told their son, “Your papa, little one, is ‘ _the man_.’  I’m telling you that now, because in another fifteen years you won’t believe me.”

He cuddled Devin against his chest, thinking about the changes in his life ever since his chance encounter (yeah right) with a mad man in a box, who evidently owed his big brother a debt that he could never be paid.  Gray told his sleeping son, “You know, if anyone told me that I’d end up finding my brother in the past … after he was buried alive by an imposter, mind you … that I’d fall in love with a member of his team, marry her and have a beautiful little boy, I don’t think I would have believed them.  Then again, my life was pretty unbelievable after your grandfather was killed.  So was your uncle Jack’s, even more than mine.  I, at least, had the Hermit … he didn’t have anyone, really.  In a way, I hope that you have a quiet life, Devin.  I want you to have what your uncle never had.  But I know our family better than that, and I want you to be prepared.  You have no idea how much I want you to remain innocent, but that … I wouldn’t be doing you any favors.  You’d end up being hurt even worse when you encountered ugliness, and the thought of _that_ tears my heart out.  And yes, your uncle Jack will be there as much as he can, but those are the key words, Devin … when he can.  Your uncle Jack has a lot of responsibilities, sweet boy.”  Gray kissed the top of his son’s head, smiling when a tiny hand fisted in his t-shirt.

The former Time Agent cast another look at his sleeping wife.  Devin was just now getting to the point where he would sleep through the night, but Jack still had Tosh on maternity leave.  Yes, Devin was five months old now, but Jack pointed out that an exhausted agent put herself and others in danger.  It made Gray smile, because his big brother was even more protective of Tosh than Gray himself was.  If Tosh would have allowed it, Jack would have spent half of her pregnancy carrying her around.  As it was, she fumed when he banned her from the Hub at the beginning of her fifth month … for her safety, he said, and the safety of her unborn child.  Tosh was welcome to work from home, but the Hub and field missions were off-limits to a pregnant agent.  She fumed, but Gray couldn’t stop thanking his brother.  Jack merely smiled and murmured that he was just doing his job.  Whether that was as Gray’s big brother, Tosh’s boss, or both, Gray really wasn’t sure … and he was even less sure if it made a difference.

It took Tosh about two weeks before she’d start speaking to Jack again … not so much because she was angry with him, but her pride took a hit … and, she felt ashamed for being angry with Jack when she knew he was right.  More to the point, she knew he was trying to look out for them both.  Still, when they settled Devin into Tosh’s arms, and she met the reason Jack was so insistent that she wouldn’t go into the field … his wife looked up at Gray and stated, “After you, I want Jack to be the first person to hold this child.  Devin wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for him.”  She was right, in so many ways, and Gray had no objections to his wife’s statement.  Hell, if she hadn’t said it, he would have!  Thus, he called his brother into the room, and watched as his wife placed Devin into the arms of his uncle and namesake.  Jack’s face lit up in a smile that Gray hadn’t seen since they were boys and his eyes shone as he whispered to the infant.  Alice and Steven were next to meet the baby, followed by Esther and Ianto. 

Suzie and Rhys were the last to arrive, and thus, the last to hold the newest addition to the family.  Gray smirked to himself, remembering how tentative Suzie was as she held his son.  He’d teased her about that, he remembered, and how she wasn’t nearly as cautious with her own daughter.  Suzie pinned him with one of her Looks and observed rather pointedly that Anwen wasn’t an infant when she came to their family.  Jack backed up his second in command, who ever so cautiously eased Devin into her husband’s arms.  Rhys held the baby as if he did it every day, while Anwen crawled into her mother’s lap.  Suzie folded her arms around the little girl, kissing the top of her head after Anwen called Devin ‘ _itty-bitty_ ,’  and kicked Gray’s leg when he told her what an adorable picture they made. 

Which they did.  Suzie was still Suzie, still the stubborn, hard-headed, somewhat prickly woman whom Gray first met (and who went seriously medieval on Aaron’s sorry ass when he tried to kill Tosh and after she learned that he’d buried Jack alive), but motherhood did change her.  He wouldn’t go so far as to say that it softened her (except when she looked at Anwen or pictures of her daughter), but being a mother did change her.  And just like his wife, Suzie was even more of a bad-ass now that she was a mother.  Aaron found out the hard way the last time Gray accompanied Suzie to Flat Holm, and he made a veiled threat to Anwen … Suzie had him out of the chair and bent over the table with his arm twisted behind his back in less than a heartbeat.  She growled, ‘ _if you think you’ll ever get **near** my Anwen, you’re even more delusional than I thought.  If you so much as  breathe in her direction, I will cut your heart out with a rusty spoon_.’  Tosh added when Gray told her about the encounter, ‘ _and I would hold him down for her … assuming Rhys didn’t get there first_.’  And Rhys immediately agreed … although he threatened to add castration by a rusty spoon to whatever Suzie wanted to do. 

Not that Gray could blame him.  He’d do the same to anyone who messed with Devin … and if it was Aaron, who already tried to kill Tosh, and who buried Jack alive for five years?  Truthfully, there were times when Gray wasn’t sure why Aaron was still alive.  Yes, Jack wanted them to do whatever they could to help.  Gray knew that this desire wasn’t fueled by guilt, because Jack wasn’t responsible for what happened to Aaron while he was the prisoner of those monsters.  At least, Gray hoped it wasn’t guilt, but rather, the knowledge that it could have been Gray in Aaron’s place.  If it was guilt, Gray would be having another talk with his big brother.

He didn’t think it was guilt, though.  He knew Jack and there was a particular saying in this era of Earth’s history, ‘ _there but for the grace of God go I_.’ Although, he sensed that in Jack’s case, it was more a case of, ‘ _goes my brother_.’  Aaron wasn’t Gray, and Gray wasn’t Aaron, but they could have shared the same fate.  Gray didn’t want to think about being so twisted that he would turn against his brother for something that wasn’t even his fault … but he couldn’t deny it was a possibility.  Anything was possible.  And as Gray knew so well, his older brother was a deeply compassionate person.  He could be ruthless, but if there was a hope of saving Aaron, Gray knew that Jack would take it.

The new father kissed his baby boy’s forehead again, and a sleepy voice murmured, “You know, that’s very sexy … watching my husband cuddle our little boy.”  Uh-oh.  _Busted_.  He looked to his right, to find a very sleepy (and very sexy … damn, it was so unfair that Tosh was hot even when she was barely awake) beauty blinking up at him and their Devin.  Tosh pushed herself up onto one elbow, leaning in to kiss Devin’s cheek with feather-soft lips.  Gray felt himself tremble, remembering what those lips were doing to him just a few short hours earlier.

“Sorry, love … meant to get him before you woke up,” Gray whispered as Tosh snuggled back down again, her head resting on his hip.  With Devin securely cradled against his chest, Gray reached down to stroke his wife’s hair and the back of her neck.  Tosh made a contented purring sound that went straight to his groin, and _oh_ , he would make her pay for that later.  Not now, not tonight, but when she was least expecting it, he would make her pay for that.  Jack was always ready to babysit Devin, and if he wasn’t available, there were plenty of others.  One lovely thing about his brother’s Torchwood team, there were always babysitters to be found when he wanted to ravish his gorgeous wife.  Later, though.

Later.

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

It was a quiet day in the Hub, at least until Alice called.  Suzie Costello Williams swore quietly under her breath, because she _really_ wasn’t sure they were ready for this.  Truly, she wasn’t sure anyone could be ready for this situation, but at least this time, they had some prior warning.  She shook her head, reminding herself that despite Jack’s ‘memories,’ it hadn’t happened the first time, and she had plans in place to make sure that it wouldn’t happen again.  They had a full complement plus, Alice and Steven were fully in Jack’s life, and even if those bastards got their hands on Jack a second time to put a bomb inside him, Suzie had contingency plans within contingency plans ready.  There was no reason for things to end so tragically this time.

However, she was still nervous.  It was becoming clear to her that the Rift was opened in 1965 deliberately, with the intention of drawing Jack from wherever he was at the time (Jack was tight-lipped about what he was doing), and someone knew what Abaddon would do.  It was a set up, designed to remove Jack during that crucial time in 1965.  But why?  Suzie’s research was only turning up more questions and very few real answers.  The 456 were back, and time just ran out.  Suzie picked up the picture of her young daughter, quietly swearing that she would sacrifice a child herself if it meant chasing those bastards off.  But she was equally determined that it wouldn’t come to that.

As yet, she hadn’t told Jack about their contingency plans.  It wasn’t because she didn’t trust him.  In truth, aside from Rhys, there was no one she trusted more in this world or any other.  No, she hadn’t told Jack yet because a) she hoped those contingency plans wouldn’t be necessary and b) because even her immortal boss needed a break once in a while.  Yes, he was the leader and he made the decisions, but he didn’t have to do everything himself.  He shouldn’t have to.

She looked at the picture of Anwen again, taken shortly after the little girl came to her and Rhys.  Suzie swallowed hard.  God, she was such a beautiful little girl!  And Suzie knew, she _knew_ with every fiber of her being that she wouldn’t have loved Anwen more if she was born of her own body … couldn’t have loved her more.  She caressed the little girl’s face through the glass, murmuring, “Don’t you worry, princess … Mummy and Uncle Jack are going to make sure those nasty aliens go away, and never come back.  _Promise_.”

The second in command of Torchwood picked up the picture of her daughter and pressed her lips to the glass.  Rhys was at home today, although sometimes he took Anwen to Harwood’s.  His secretary Ruth absolutely adored the little girl.  Like little Devin Harkness, there was never a shortage of people ready, willing and able to take care of Anwen if her parents weren’t available for any reason.  That reminded her.  With a small sigh, she settled Anwen’s picture on her work station once more and picked up the phone to call Rhys.  He needed to know that she was putting their family emergency protocols in place.  It was something they discussed while they were courting.  Even then, Suzie was mentally planning what she would do if the 456 did return, assuming they were real. And she did make the assumption, because too many of Jack’s ‘false’ memories turned out to be rooted in fact.

“Hey, luv, what’s going on,” Rhys said cheerfully as soon as he answered the phone.  Suzie steeled herself, because by the end of this, her husband would know far more about Torchwood than she really wanted him to know.  Despite his friendship with Jack, he didn’t know about the darker parts of her boss’ past, and she wasn’t sure how he would take it.  Never mind that Jack didn’t really turn those children over to the 456 back in 1965, it was still Torchwood’s responsibility.  And Rhys could be something of an idealist at times.  He was a very practical man, but he could be an idealist at the same time.

“Rhys, do you remember when we talked about initiating the family emergency protocols?  I just heard from Alice, and we need to put that in place,” Suzie answered around the rather sizable boulder that just took up residence in her throat.  There was a brief silence, and then Rhys murmured a few rather naughty words in Welsh.  Suzie fought back the inclination to apologize, because dammit, she did _nothing_ that required an apology.  She wasn’t around in 1965, she didn’t allow the Glove to take her over, and the only reason she instituted this particular protocol was to protect her family … both her husband and daughter and her Torchwood family. 

And then, Rhys said, “I understand, sweetheart.  You just let me know what you need, and I’ll get things organized.  Maybe when this is over, you can tell me everything, but right now, Torchwood … and Jack … need you more.”  There was a slight pause before Rhys added in an impossibly gentle voice, “Jack was your family long before I was, Suzie.  I’ll miss you and worry about you, but I know that you’re doing this as much for Anwen and me as for Jack.”  Suzie bit back the tears that wanted to fall.

Instead, she told her husband, “I am, cariad.  I _am_.  I’ll call you when I know something more.  I love you, Rhys.  I love you so very much.”  She smiled through the stubborn tears that fell in spite of her best efforts when he told her how very much he and Anwen loved her, and then she hung up.  She wiped her tears away, and began putting out feelers for what she needed to know.  She would hold off on calling Jack until Alice arrived from London with Steven, and until she knew more about what was going on.

For now, she turned her attention to her research.  Already, there were hits coming in from around the world about children speaking in unison.  This was the first wave, she knew.  Suzie organized the hits and began the next part of her research.  According to Jack, there was a … well, a survivor, for lack of a better word, from the first incursion in 1965.  Then a young boy, now a middle-aged man.  She would look for him under both names … Clement McDonald, a young Scottish orphan.  There was also his other name.  Jack thought it was Timothy White, but as time passed since Gray dug him up, certain details were becoming dimmer.  In a way, Suzie was glad, because Jack shouldn’t have to remember such ugly things, not when he had forever in front of him.  On the other hand, those memories could help them.

She was a half hour into her research when she got a hit from her queries.  Suzie opened the link that was provided to her, and felt the color drain from her face as she read the article.  She fought back a wave of nausea, murmuring to herself, “Oh, sweetheart, _no_ … oh, you poor baby.  I am so, so sorry.”  Suzie swallowed hard and hit ‘print.’  Jack would need to see this.  There were worse things than the fate Clem McDonald suffered in her friend’s false memories … far worse.

 

TBC


	3. The Other Side of the Coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys reacts to the news from Suzie and reflects on being married to the assistant director of Torchwood Cardiff; Jack, Ianto and Esther learn about the latest incursion; and Owen makes his own preparations.

Rhys Williams’ office at Harwood Haulage

Cardiff, Wales

Same day

 

Rhys Williams slowly replaced the receiver in its cradle, his hand trembling just a little as his conversation with his wife ran through his head over and over again.  Suzie initiated the family emergency protocols … the ‘ _just in case and hope like hell it’s never necessary_ ’ protocols he learned about after he asked her to marry him and she did him the honor of saying ‘ **yes**.’ _Holy hell_ , he thought numbly, _this is really happening.  Suzie is worried enough about something that she’s initiated something she hoped would never be necessary_. In the years since he first met Jack Harkness and helped to arrange the contract between Harwood’s Haulage and Torchwood, never mind marrying Suzie, he came to realize that he probably would have been safer if he listened to Kathy Swanson and stayed well away from Torchwood. 

It was true.  He would have been a whole lot safer, and probably a little more innocent (okay, fine, a lot more innocent) … but despite knowing all of that, he couldn’t regret his decision.  He couldn’t regret marrying Suzie, or helping to draft the agreement with Torchwood, or his friendship with the rest of the semi-secretive group.  He received far too many wonderful things to regret any of it.  Rhys looked at his daughter and picked her up, cuddling her against his chest.  Anwen babbled at him happily, offering him the rag doll that Jack gave her when Rhys and Suzie’s adoption of her was finalized.

He took it with a small smile, saying, “For me?  Aw, thank you, baby girl. You are so good to me!  Mummy won’t be home for a while … your Uncle Jack needs her, but we’ll be all right, now won’t we?”  Perhaps sensing his worry/distress/fear/absolute terror, his little girl reached up to pat his cheek.  Rhys turned his head, just a little bit and kissed her oh-so-tiny palm, offering her a small smile at the same time.  He kissed the top of her head next, murmuring, “Mummy and Uncle Jack and the others need to save the world … they’re saving it to save it and to save it for you.”  That was what Rhys told himself when his exhausted wife returned on certain nights with hollow eyes and a smile that looked more like a pasted-on grimace.  Suzie and Jack, along with Tosh, Owen, Ianto, Esther and Gray … they made sacrifices so that Anwen and Devin and Steven could grow up in peace.  He knew that.  He knew that when he married Suzie and accepted it.  But there were times when … well, it didn’t matter.  Suzie was his wife, and he wouldn’t want her to be anything other than what she was, whom she was.  Whether he liked it or not, when he married Suzie, he married into Torchwood, and all that entailed.

He married a heroine, a woman who put her life on the line to save other people, and he was so proud of her because of that.  How could he _not_ be proud of her?  And she told him when they were married, reminded him again when they started talking about adopting some of the children who were orphaned by the Dalek invasion … she didn’t have an ordinary nine-to-five job.  There would be times when she didn’t come home for days on end.  There would be times when Anwen’s care fell solely to him.  She needed him to understand this, needed him to understand what would be expected of him.  With their marriage, he would stop being just an ordinary husband and lorry driver … he would become a Torchwood husband, and certain things would be required of him.  It probably wouldn’t be anything fancy, most of the time.  A shoulder to cry on, a warm supper when he should probably be in bed, a pint with his wife’s co-workers.

Rhys couldn’t say that he hadn’t been warned.  He was.  Suzie warned him before they got married, Jack warned him before the first date, Ianto and Esther warned him, Gray and Tosh warned him … hell, even Owen warned him!  He couldn’t say that he didn’t walk into this situation with his eyes open.  His wife worked for a top-secret (after a fashion) organization that fought aliens who sought to harm humanity and protected aliens who only wanted to be left alone.  It was an important job, and Rhys knew that someone had to do it … he learned that much from the poor space whale and from the Dalek invasion … but God forgive him, there were times when he wished that his wife wasn’t the one to do it.

He had to admit, however, that there were worse things.  Rhys smiled in spite of himself, remembering a story that Suzie told him about a Nostrovite that impregnated poor Esther not long after she began sleeping with Jack and Ianto.  It wasn’t funny, it really wasn’t … the damn thing could have killed her.  Even so, Rhys’ smile widened a bit as he remembered Jack’s observation to Esther after it was over … ‘ _there is a bright spot in all this … at least now you know you’ll look even more gorgeous when you’re pregnant_.’ 

Suzie told him that Jack’s once-over made it clear that he would find a heavily-pregnant Esther incredibly sexy.  Actually, she added with a small, sad smile, Ianto would find such a sight incredibly appealing as well.  Rhys didn’t doubt it.  Every time he imagined Suzie heavy with his child, his loins stirred and his mouth went dry.  Suzie swore up and down that her father’s abuse left her unable to bear a child … but that didn’t stop Rhys from imagining just how beautiful Suzie would be while pregnant.  Even more beautiful than she was now, he knew.

The lorry driver shook himself and returned his attention to his daughter, who was staring up at him with those large dark eyes that Rhys sometimes swore could see into his very soul.  He smiled at her, murmuring, “Well now.  Since Mummy won’t be home for a while, we’ll just have to make sure everything’s perfect when we see her again.”  But he didn’t mean their little cottage where Suzie walked the floor with a fussy Anwen, or where Suzie and Rhys made love in every room at one time or another.  No, this was the safe house Suzie took him to shortly after they were married.  That was to be his first priority, if he ever got that phone call from Suzie … go to the safe house and make sure there was plenty of food and all the beds were prepared.  Jack always said that the twenty-first century was when everything changed and they had to be ready … and now, Rhys was starting to understand that ‘ _being ready_ ’ meant him, too.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

There was a time when she would have found it strange … creepy, even … to be in a relationship with two men.  Forget that … to be involved in a more or less permanent threesome.  Those days were long behind her.  And speaking of behind … Esther Drummond shivered a little as fingers trailed along the skin of her hindquarters.  He did this every time she bent forward to kiss him.  Even when being pleasured into insensibility, he still had to touch, still had to make them shiver and shudder.  Of course he did.  It was just part of what made him Captain Jack Harkness, along with his greatcoat and braces (and now they had her saying ‘braces’ instead of ‘suspenders’) and devastating smile.  That, naturally, led to her eyes sliding toward the third member of their odd little trio, who was dropping light kisses along the inside of Jack’s thigh … and oh, that was hot.  She never understood her (female) friends who squealed at the sight of two guys kissing, but this wasn’t just two guys.  It was Jack and Ianto, two men whom she loved.  Maybe that was what made the difference.

Even with that, she still knew that Sarah wouldn’t understand.  She not only wouldn’t understand, she would likely be appalled by her younger sister’s life in Cardiff, and her relationship with Jack and Ianto.  But Esther realized with a small shock that she didn’t really care whether Sarah understood or even approved.  She built a life with Torchwood, with Jack and Ianto, and they were worth it.  Tosh and Gray and Devin, Suzie and Rhys and Anwen, Owen and Alice and Steven, Jack and Ianto and Torchwood … they were all worth it, and Esther wouldn’t give any of it or any of them without a fight.

Which meant, of course, that she just jinxed their lovely little afterglow.  She knew that, even before the phone began to ring shrilly.  Jack groaned, “Ignore it.  If it’s important … dammit!”  The drowsy, sexy drawl slipped away and Esther _heard_ the captain taking over.  Her lover heaved an unhappy sigh as Ianto picked up his now-ringing cell phone and murmured that it was Suzie.  They all knew that Suzie would only call if it was necessary.  Jack thrust his open palm at Ianto, and the young man placed the cell in the open palm with infinite gentleness … a gentleness that told Esther that Ianto felt as she and Jack did about the interruption.  However, neither said a word, as Jack sighed, “Yes, Suzie?”

Esther pushed her hair out of her eyes, and thus, she had a perfect view of Jack’s expression as it changed from exasperation to horror to weary resignation.  Esther rocked back on her heels, seeing Jack’s next move even before his muscles began working together to pull him upright.  He sat up slowly, grasping Ianto’s wrist as her partner in crime sought to pull away.  Esther exchanged another look with Ianto and moved into position on Jack’s other side, feeling his other arm slide around her shoulders and drawing her against his body.  Jack asked quietly, “What have you found out?  Oh.  That bad, then.  All right.  Give us twenty minutes.  No, I don’t intend to get myself blown up again, but intentions don’t count for much, now do they?”  There was more than a bit of tartness in Jack’s tone, but it was the words that held Esther’s attention.  ‘ _I don’t intend to get myself blown up again_.’  This time, when her eyes met Ianto’s, she saw the same fear reflected in the Welshman’s eyes that she felt herself.  The only time when Jack was blown up (to their knowledge) was when those aliens-the 456-returned for the children in Jack’s false memories.  And that could only mean one thing.

The young woman closed her eyes, leaning her head against Jack’s shoulder.  Their worst fears were coming true, and now Steven’s fate-as well as the fates of Alys and Melanie, and Ianto’s own niece and nephew-now hung in the balance … as did Torchwood itself.  Slim fingers curled around her own and Esther opened her eyes to see Ianto staring at her.  Only someone who knew him as well as she (or Jack) did would recognize the anxiety in his blue eyes … the anxiety and the quiet rage.  She returned the pressure on his hand, and he smiled at her slightly, mouthing, ‘ _once more into the breach, then_.’  Esther would have stuck her tongue out at him, but she knew better.  Besides, unless she was mistaken, he got the quote wrong.  She’d have to look it up later.

“I’m sorry, kids, but we need to get to the Hub.  Suzie got a call from Alice about an hour ago … the children have started speaking in unison, so it’s only a matter of time before they come after us,” Jack told them as he ended the call.  Ianto said nothing as he rose to his feet, pulling Jack and Esther up with them.  Jack took a deep breath, his blue eyes reflecting an uncharacteristic hesitation, and said again, “I’m sorry.  I really wanted this interlude to last longer.  I …” He didn’t get any further.  Ianto took a small step forward, slipped his hand around the back of their lover’s head to cradle his skull, and kissed him thoroughly.

When he pulled back, Jack looking thoroughly dazed, Ianto said in a low, level voice, “Don’t you _dare_ apologize to us, Jack Harkness, not for this.  Now, the three of us are going to get dressed, we are going to the Hub, and we are going to make sure those monsters don’t get a single bloody child … not a single, solitary one.  And if those sodding idiots do try to take you out, they’ll find a very different Torchwood waiting for them.”  His voice never climbed above its current pitch, and that made the implied threat all the more terrifying. 

Esther took that opportunity to ask, “That reminds me, since we never talked about this.  Why would they come after Jack again … I mean, this time around?  In the original … that is, in the dreams Jack had while he was buried alive, it was to prevent him from telling what happened in 1965.  In our reality, he was dead in 1965 after nearly destroying Abaddon.”  And she still wasn’t entirely clear about that.  She read the mission reports regarding the opening of the Rift and the loss of life, as well as Jack facing off with the giant demon.  What she still didn’t understand was who stopped the confrontation between the immortal and the demon … unless it was Bilis Manger?  Something she had to look into.  Later, though.  Later.  Right now, rather than look reassured, though, both of her boys still looked grave.  Which meant there was far more to the attack on Torchwood than Jack’s ‘involvement’ in 1965, and Esther murmured as the truth started to dawn on her, “It was just an excuse, wasn’t it?  They would have done it, regardless of what you did or didn’t do in 1965.”  Of course.  She should have seen it before.

“There was more to it than that, yes … including their rather amusing theory that my immortality is tied to the Rift,” Jack answered as he began dressing.  The blonde girl registered a double take when she heard this.  _Wait, they thought what_?  But … but … but … that made no sense!  Never mind, she would worry about that later.  Even so, Esther gawped at him a moment, numbly accepting her sports bra from Ianto.  Jack continued as he caught the t-shirt Esther tossed his way, “Which, of course, it isn’t … something we don’t want them to know in any case … but even if we told them the truth, they still wouldn’t believe it.  There’s also the matter of UNIT wanting to get their grubby paws on our Hub and Torchwood in general.”  Jack’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he mentioned UNIT wanting to get Torchwood in general.

Esther remembered what she heard from Suzie about Tosh’s incarceration at the hands of UNIT and well understood the grim note in Jack’s voice.  It wasn’t something that was discussed often (and really, she wasn’t sure if Alice and Steven knew), mainly because it usually wasn’t anyone’s business.  Esther only found out because she happened to notice Tosh’s expression one day when UNIT was mentioned, and asked Suzie.  That was a bit of lucky forethought on her part.  She wasn’t about to ask Tosh, and judging from Jack’s expression at the same time, asking him wouldn’t have been a particularly bright thing to do.  As it was, Suzie was hesitant to tell her.  Not because she didn’t trust Esther, she reassured the girl, but because it wasn’t her story to tell.  In the end, though … in the end, she told her.  She had her own reasons for doing so … Suzie usually did.  Esther found it hard to reconcile that UNIT with the kindly old gentleman she’d met on more than one occasion, the Brigadier.  Suzie admitted that the Brig himself acknowledged that today’s UNIT bore little resemblance to the one he helped to build.  _We weren’t perfect, lass_ , he’d told Suzie once, _but we did have limits_.

“So what’s our first move?” Esther asked, sliding her blouse over her shoulders.  A quick glance to her right told her that Ianto was almost dressed.  One of these days, she’d have to tickle that particular secret out of him … how he got dressed so damn fast.  Maybe she’d do it the next time he put his feet in her lap after she told him not to.  Jack smirked at her, just a little bit, and she rolled her eyes at him, saying, “I mean, aside from getting back to the Hub, of course.  How do we counteract whatever attack they’re planning?”  In the back of her mind, she was wondering if she should put into a call to Archie.  He did tell her that if she ever needed him, she wasn’t to hesitate to call.  And there was something else that didn’t make sense to her about the entire mess in 1965, but that could wait.

“I’ll tell you on the way.  Alice and Steven are on their way from London, and Suzie’s already initiated the emergency protocols for Rhys and Anwen,” Jack answered somewhat evasively.  Which meant that he wasn’t willing to take any chances.  Esther could accept that.  She wondered briefly if she should call her sister and warn her not to … do what?  Was there anything she could do from London or Cardiff to protect her nieces?  Much to her chagrin, Esther realized there wasn’t a blessed thing that she could do.  Sarah was somewhat paranoid at the best of times, which might protect the girls in this situation.  Besides, while Esther was tempted to bring her entire family over to Cardiff, she feared that she would be putting them into even more danger.

By now, Esther was dressed, grasping Ianto’s arm as she slipped her feet into her shoes … after she had them arranged properly.  Owen still teased her about being too old to put her shoes on the wrong feet, the jerk.  However, she always paid him back in kind, usually when he wasn’t expecting it.  He still didn’t know about her part in that last prank Ianto played on him.  And the younger of her two lovers said, “Well, I drove from the Hub, so I think it’s Esther’s turn.”  Esther raised her brows at Ianto, ignoring Jack’s indignant expression, and Ianto said, “I trust you, even if you do still try to drive on the wrong side of the road.” 

“I drive on the side of the road that I’m familiar with and comfortable with.  And considering I’ve only lived here two years, as opposed to the twenty-two years I lived in my home country, I think I’m doing very well, thank you very much!” Esther retorted, snatching the keys from his hand.  She yelped a bit as Jack’s palm connected with her rear.  Oh, he wanted to play things that way, did he?  Jack should know by now that Esther was always game.  Ignoring Ianto’s quiet snicker, Esther dropped the keys in to her pocket.  No sense in hurting Jack after all.  She spun in place and pushed him into the wall, pulling his head down for a fierce kiss with her free hand.  She had a terrifying sense that there would be little time for laughter or passion or even tenderness in the coming days, so she would take her chances now.

She was right.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

The third call Suzie Costello Williams made once Alice Carter informed her of the children speaking in unison was Dr. Owen Harper.  The only words she spoke after telling him that he was the third call she made were, ‘ _the game is afoot_.’  There was really only one game she could possibly mean.  Owen swore under his breath and told her that he would be there within thirty minutes.  He ran his hand over his face, looking around his empty flat.  That was one blessing.  He was alone.  Huh.  Never imagined that ‘alone’ could be a blessing, but in this case, it was.  As he rose to his feet and began rooting through the pile of clothes in one of the chairs, Owen realized there was another blessing.  Again, he never would have thought this was a possibility, but Owen was quietly grateful that he was sober when he got that call.

On the other hand, ever since Torchwood returned home after the Year, Owen found it much harder to drink the sheer volume of alcohol he could once put away.  He supposed part of it was growing up.  But unfortunately, a large part of it was thanks to the Master, who decided that alcoholic poisoning would be a fantastic and incredibly fun way to kill Jack.  Bastard.  To this day, the young doctor still didn’t know whom he hated more:  the Master or that so-called benevolent Doctor.  They could _both_ burn in whatever passed for Hell for Time Lords.

There were a lot of things Owen would never forgive the Doctor for, and one of them was that day.  He did nothing as Jack died.  Just sat there and wrung his hands, wailing about how he was sorry, he was so sorry.  Owen didn’t care that as far as Jack was concerned, the Doctor made him into a better man.  He didn’t care about what happened in 1941, while Jack was still mortal.  He only cared about what happened on the Game Station, when Jack was abandoned.  He only cared about the century Jack spent waiting for the prat.  He only cared about the Doctor’s arrogance in deposing Harriet Jones, thus opening the door for the Master (and whatever bastards came after him).  He only cared about Jack.

Surprising the rest of the team, it wasn’t Ianto who was there when Jack died of alcoholic poisoning.  No … no, it was Owen.  He was the doctor, after  all … who else would be there to watch in horror as liquor was literally poured down Jack’s throat?  When he closed his eyes, Owen could still feel the restraints that bound him to the chair as the Master cavorted around the room, laughing with delight at each deterioration in Jack’s condition.  Oh yes.  He remembered, because at the time, he was the only one there.  It was Owen who held his captain for hours as he died, Owen and Alice who tenderly cleaned him when Jack’s body had enough, and Owen and the entire team (as it was then) who huddled around Jack until he gasped back to life.  No.  No, Owen wouldn’t forgive the Doctor for any of that Year.  And no, Owen wasn’t the same person he was before the Year.  While he would still go out for pints and sometimes even went on the pull … well, he had better things to do with his time (and no, Jack wasn’t among them). 

If he was really pressed for a reason, Owen would have begrudgingly admitted that yeah, in addition to that awful Year, some of his behavior modification came from his … ah … growing affection for Alice?  Yeah.  That would be a good way to put it.  They’d only been on a few dates, official dates, but Owen liked her a lot.  He even thought he might be able to love her, to fall in love with her.  Yeah, she was older than he was, and yeah, she had a kid (which scared the ever-loving shit out of Owen), and yeah, she was Jack’s daughter … but still.  Jack was aware of what was going on between them, and told Owen that he was okay with it as long as it didn’t interfere with Owen’s work.  Of course, he also gave Owen the shovel talk … and then a few hours later, turned around and gave Alice the exact same talk on Owen’s behalf, much to Suzie’s amusement.  That was something she’d never let Alice live down.

Owen would never tell Jack what that meant to him.  In his mind … much as Owen hated the phrase, intellectually speaking, Owen knew that Jack loved him.  But sometimes, it was a hard concept for his heart to grasp.  The time he spent as the Master’s prisoner forced him to realize something … or rather, start to realize something.  He didn’t have a hard time believing that Jack loved him because of anything Jack did or didn’t do … he had a hard time believing that Jack loved him because at his heart, where he really lived, Owen believed that he wasn’t worth loving.  His own mother … well, Owen’s mind shied away from thinking about her.  Katie loved him and she died.  She didn’t die because she loved him, but still … she loved him and he loved her, but he couldn’t save her.  He couldn’t even save himself.

And yet, Jack loved him.  Jack gave his own daughter the shovel talk on Owen’s behalf.  He gave his daughter the shovel talk.  For Owen.  He was willing to risk his daughter’s fury to protect Owen.  The amount of love required to do something like that made it very hard for Owen to breathe.   Alice smiled at him, at his reaction, asking, ‘ _is it so hard to believe that he loves you?  That there is very little he wouldn’t do for you_?’  Owen couldn’t answer, and instead, turned his attention to helping Steven with his homework.  What was there for him to say?

Oh, and that was another thing.  Steven.  Yeah, he thought about that before, or as much as he’d allow himself to think about it.  Really, despite his behavior after the Mara case, Owen wasn’t particularly comfortable with kids, but here he was, sort of dating a woman with a kid.  And that opened another can of worms … ‘ _the game’s afoot_ ’ meant that their worst fears were coming true, and the 456 were coming back.  That put Steven directly in the line of fire.  By now, they all knew what Jack had to do to stop the monsters in his coma dreams.  In those coma dreams, Owen was dead (twice over) … Tosh was dead.  But here, in the real world, they were both alive and no child would die this time, no child would be handed over. 

After Gray dug Jack up and returned him to the present, after his imposter was securely placed in Flat Holm, and before Jack returned from helping the Doctor with returning Earth and the other planets to their proper places, the rest of Torchwood met in the Hub and discussed their options in the event the 456 did return.  As Suzie put it, one person shouldn’t have to make all the sacrifices.  It was decided that Owen and Tosh would handle the scientific side (which included working out a way to protect the archive if someone blew up Jack again and God help whoever tried that when Tosh got her hands on them) … while Suzie and Alice would coordinate to ensure the safety of all of their families.  Finally, Esther and Ianto were responsible for finding a suitable safe house among Torchwood’s many safe houses that would shelter the entire Torchwood staff and their families … one in Cardiff and one in London.  They would locate this domicile, and they would stock it.  And, remembering what Jack said about his coma dreams, Ianto promised it would be an actual house.

When Rhys encountered Torchwood and later married Suzie, he took over the preparation of the house that the Dynamic Duo (as Owen called them) chose.  To throw off anyone who might be watching (read:  UNIT or someone else like that), he never went the same day each month, or even the same week.  If Owen was the third person (or set of persons) whom Suzie called, he knew that the first two were either Rhys and Anwen, or Jack, Ianto and Esther.  It didn’t matter which set was first.  Torchwood was now operating at what Esther half-jokingly called DefCon One, and any threat against its captain or any of its staff would be dealt with accordingly.

Owen was brought up short as he realized just how ruthless he sounded.  ‘ _Would be dealt with accordingly_.’  And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to care, much less worry.  All of them, even the occasionally-idealistic Esther, understood and accepted that Torchwood wasn’t perfect.  It was run and staffed by human beings, flawed individuals all.  Any institution that was run by human beings was by its very nature flawed, no matter how good the intentions of that institution was.  That was the nature of the beast.  Oh, that didn’t mean that they stopped trying … it meant that even when they fell down, they picked themselves back up again.  And it meant that when someone hurt a member of Torchwood, a member of this odd little family, they reacted … or, sometimes even worse for those who hurt them, they acted. 

Owen’s lips peeled back from his teeth as he walked out to his car … yeah, the Doctor wasn’t real happy with the actions Torchwood Cardiff took after the Year.  _Screw ‘im_ (though not literally.  He really wasn’t Owen’s type).  On the other hand, it was seriously worth it to see his expression after Tosh decked him.  Evidently, he never heard that it was the quiet ones who were the most dangerous.  Maybe he’d think the next time, before telling Tosh that she should have joined UNIT instead of Torchwood.  On second thought, no, he wouldn’t.

The Doctor could just sod off, Owen decided.  Torchwood may have made this mess in the beginning, by turning those kids over to the 456, but it would be UNIT making things worse this time around, and it would be Torchwood cleaning up the mess.  And they needed to remember one other thing … doctors knew how to heal, but the other side of that coin was hurting.  Owen had no problem whatsoever of being that other side of the coin to anyone who hurt any member of his interesting little family … anyone at all.

 

 

TBC 


	4. Written in the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we have an unexpected voice popping up; Jack learns about what his team has been doing about the potential 456 threat (to say nothing from the threat facing them from their own side); while Suzie reveals Clem McDonald’s fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, after more than a month, I’m finally updating. My apologies to all for the delay … I had a situation at work that needed seeing to … it’s been resolved, but for a while there, I wasn’t sure if I would have a job for much longer. My contract was extended at work (and is up for extension once more), but for some reason, it was delayed in Financial for a week … I didn’t know there was even an issue until I logged in to do my time sheet, and there was no timesheet to complete. It’s been resolved, but there were three days when I was a nervous wreck. There have been other things going on in my family, which has started to be resolved. Enough of that. end the chapter. I suppose I could have had reactions to Suzie’s revelations, but this felt right.

St. Luke’s Hospital

Cardiff, Wales

That day

 

 

He lay in his bed, barely breathing as he listened to the murmur of voices outside his room.  They thought he was unaware of what was happening.  He wasn’t.  He couldn’t afford to be unaware of what was happening on the floor, in hospital, in the world.  There was too much at stake … far, far too much was at stake.  He heard the whispers in the hallway, he even heard reports of the eerie chanting of the children outside and inside, wherever they happened to be … but the worst part was what he felt in his head.  They were coming back.  They were coming back, the monsters of his nightmares … and they weren’t the only ones.  HE was coming.  But He didn’t cause the black-out the man in the bed experienced less than an hour earlier.  THEY did that.  The man was important, even if he wasn’t sure why.  That was normal, though, at least for him.

And normal was such a strange word, anyhow.  What was normal?  What was average?  Those words had no meaning for him, and how could they?  He never had a life that could even be remotely called ‘normal,’ not so far as he could remember.  At a very young age (now he understood just how young he truly was), he was forever changed … he was damaged, and not in ways that could ever be healed.  He wasn’t normal, he was strange … he was wrong … he was a freak.  He knew that, and tried to tell himself that it no longer hurt.  But he was neither a man nor a child, he was neither and he was both.  He had the awareness of a man and the emotional control of a child, and he hated it.  But this was his lot in life, and he had many years to grow accustomed to it.  A lady who visited him often, with sad eyes, told him that in some ways, he reminded her of a friend.  A man who was told that he was wrong, that he was a freak, that he shouldn’t exist.  But he did.  And something inside, a quiet little voice that he learned to never ignore, that little voice told him that the lady’s friend was Him, the man who was coming.

 He didn’t know how he knew about that man, but the knowledge was there.  Just as he knew that there was a man who should have been there nearly forty-five years earlier, but wasn’t … and this man was the one who was coming.  When that man came, his life would be over.  That knowledge was as clear to him as the knowledge that his friends were lost to him, lost to their planet, lost to anyone who might have loved them … who might have wanted them.  In the years since his first encounter with the monsters, though, he made another friend … one that only he could see.  She was a different lady, not like the one who came to visit him.  She was much younger, for one thing … in truth, she seemed to be younger than him.  Those around him told him that she was an imaginary friend, that she wasn’t real.  He knew better, though.  Despite repeated attempts to ‘convince’ him that she wasn’t real, that he was imagining her, he knew better.  She was real.  She was as real as his nurse, as real as the pillow under his head, as real as air, as real as love.

 She wore anachronistic clothes, but that didn’t matter to him.  When she was here, she would make sure his pillows were comfortable, and if he was feeling particularly obstinate, she also made sure that he ate every blessed morsel of food.  (And he would be the first to admit that he was often extremely obstinate.)  He asked her once if she was his mother … he didn’t think she was.  Her clothes were wrong, and she didn’t look like his memories of his mother.  Her answering smile was gentle as she told him no … no, she wasn’t his mother.  She’d never been anyone’s mother, and she never would be.  But it was her job to look after little ones … even when they weren’t so little any more.  He wondered about her other little ones, and told her that in a way, that did make her his mother … and her other little ones were his brothers and sisters.  She smiled at that and kissed him again.

 “You know, don’t you?” she asked, making the sudden appearances she liked so much.  He looked up as she materialized in his room, smiling as he inhaled the fragrance that always came with her … it was always different, and always lovely.  She repeated, “You know.  You know what’s coming and what it means.  They’re coming back, and this time, they’ll want even more.”  He stopped asking how she knew things a long time ago.  It wasn’t worth the headache of trying to understand her response.  Instead, he nodded his agreement, and she continued, “And you know what that means.  Have you decided what you’ll do?”  She told him many years earlier, when he first arrived at this hospital what would happen when the monsters returned.  He couldn’t change his fate … that was written in the stars long ago.  But he could choose how his spirit left this mortal coil.

 “No.  I think I’ll know what I’m supposed to do when I see Him.  But they may not let me do anything.  I have dreams, strange dreams.  Dreams about Him, and dreams about another me.  A me who dies because of Them.  A me who hated Him.  I don’t want to hate Him!  I don’t even like hating Them,” he answered plaintively.  He sounded like a child and he hated that, but there were times when he wasn’t sure if he was an adult or a child.  She smiled at him gently, her hand ghosting along his brow.  He didn’t know why, but her smile always made him feel better.  Her smile made him feel safe … loved … wanted.  Not like a woman wanted a man, but the way he always wanted to be wanted … the way a mum and dad wanted a son or daughter.

 “There are some paths open to you, sweet boy.  Never think that you must be a victim, because that simply isn’t true.  Even if it’s just how you face your death … that was the only choice left to me as well.  The question then becomes, will you die as a hero or as a victim?  Oh, you say that you can’t die as a hero, but you can.  You only have to figure out how.  He is coming … you are correct there.  He is coming, but he isn’t the only one.  There will be others.  You need to know this, sweet boy, if you want to make your decision,” she replied.  He nodded.  Yes, he guessed as much.  And he was so afraid.  He was so very afraid.  His angel continued, “No matter how you die, you can still die as a hero.  You only need to think about it.  I must go now, sweet one.  But I will always be here.”

 She always said that before she left … always spoke those words and always kissed his forehead sweetly, as if she really was his mother.  And he always closed his eyes, savoring the feather-light touch of her lips against his forehead and the scent of her fragrance.  Not for the first time, he wondered what his life would have been like, if someone had wanted him all those years ago, before They came the first time … he wondered what his life would have been like if he hadn’t run away, if he’d gone with Them.  And above all, he wondered what would have happened if he’d safely gotten away.  But in the end, it didn’t matter.  This was the life he had, this was the card he’d been dealt … and he would do the best he could with it.

 Lying back against his pillows, he mentally replayed his conversation with his Lady and then thought about what she said.  Word for word, piece by piece … replaying, analyzing, examining each word and each phrase for every possible nuance.  He wasn’t coming, but He wasn’t the only one.  There would be others.  They would want him dead, but what about these Others who were coming?  He thought back to that cold night, so long ago, back to the reason he was in this hospital … and then he understood.  Once more, he remembered that he was in a strange position … neither a child, nor an adult, but a little bit of each.  He willed the child to be silent for a little while, as the adult worked out what needed to be done.  The child was terrified of Him, for Him, but did fall silent.

 He knew that these Others were unlikely the same ones he knew all those years ago.  Most of those were probably dead (or soon to be).  Even so, what was likely was that they were of the same sort.  They were most assuredly cut from the same cloth.  And that?  That made them his enemies.  Especially when he considered what he Saw while he dreamed.  They regarded Him as a threat, because of what he knew, which meant that the man-child was a threat as well.  And now he understood what his mother figure meant when she said he had choices to make.  He couldn’t stop them from killing him.  He lost that ability forty-four years earlier, he lost any ability to defend himself forty-four years earlier.  But before he died, before either side killed him, he could take … precautions. 

 The One who was coming, He was the key to it all.  No, he didn’t know his name, but he didn’t need to know.  That wasn’t important.  What was important was Him and that He was coming.  It was just a question of time, now that They were coming back.  It would likely be in the next day or so.  He couldn’t die a hero, but he could at least provide Him with the information to save the other children.  And there would be more children.  There would always be more children, so long as They were around.  He shifted over to retrieve some paper and a pencil … checked his supply and was satisfied that he would have enough paper to say what needed to be said.

 As Clem McDonald wrote, he thought again about that other version of 1965 … the one he Saw while he was dreaming.  He thought about Him, and the burden He would have had to carry.  Clem couldn’t save himself, but maybe he could save Him.  It was odd, really, since He was the source of so many nightmares that the other Clem had, but he was at peace with that.  He wasn’t there that awful night.  And if He was, then Clem wouldn’t have been damaged as badly as he was.  Clem knew now that he could have forgiven Him … but he would never forgive the ones who were actually there when so many of his friends were taken.  He might have _thought_ that He didn’t care … but the Ones who damaged Clem truly _didn’t_.

 

 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 

 

“What have we got, Suzie?”

 Suzie was already in the conference room, placing print-outs in front of each seat when Jack, Ianto and Esther arrived at the Hub.  Jack wasn’t entirely surprised by where he found his second or what she was doing at the time … after all, she’d been covering the Hub.  Nor was he surprised at the stress lines around her mouth and eyes … he just wished they weren’t present.  Still, she smiled as the three made their way into the conference room, answering, “I’ll explain everything once Owen, Alice and Steven are here.  Tosh and Gray will be chiming in from their home via teleconferencing.  I thought it best to keep them at a distance, especially with the current situation.”

 She meant, of course, to protect Devin … and Tosh and Gray as well, of course.  But Devin was only a baby, and no one wanted to see Jack’s infant nephew mixed up in Torchwood for another ten to fifteen years.  Jack glanced around the conference, looked back at his second and asked slowly, “You’ve been planning this for a while, haven’t you?”  Suzie merely smiled at him, while a second glance, this time from the corner of his eye, told him that Ianto and Esther exchanged a Look.  He had a choice then … he could let this go, or he could press further.  His instincts told him that it would be better to let this go, and Jack learned to trust his instincts years earlier.  With a suppressed sigh, he added, “All right.  I’ll let this go.  For now.”

 “That’s all we ask, Jack.  And yes.  We’ve been making plans for a while, in the event that the 456 did come back.  We don’t know why you saw what you did while you were buried alive, but it was our belief, as a team, that we had to be ready for anything.  It’s like you always say, the twenty-first century is when everything changes and we have to be ready.  Not you have to be ready, we have to be ready … we, as a team, as a group, as Torchwood.  You’ve carried these burdens alone, Jack, you’ve carried them alone for so long … but you don’t have to.  We’re here, and we stand together,” Suzie replied.

 Since there was time before his daughter and grandson returned from London, Jack nodded briefly and replied, “All right, then. Show me.”  Suzie’s eyes lit up and in short order, Jack found himself pushed into the chair by Ianto and Esther.  According to his second in command, all of the safe houses were upgraded.  They were low-key cottages, more than anything else … nondescript, but not falling apart, either.  That, according to Suzie, attracted too much attention, just like its opposite did.  Jack realized he couldn’t argue with that … much as he would have liked to.  As she spoke, Ianto and Esther took seats on either side of her, adding their own contributions … literally.  And their contributions, just like the rest of the team, were extraordinary.  He really didn’t expect anything less from any of his kids, but sometimes, they were still capable of surprising him.  As Suzie paused for breath, Jack had only one thing to say … or rather, ask.  Namely, “How did you put all of this together without me knowing anything about it?”

 “It wasn’t as hard as you’d think, Jack,” Esther answered quite reasonably, “we made sure that you weren’t around when we discussed the updates.”  Bless her, she didn’t elaborate on when he wasn’t around.  If Jack wasn’t at the Hub and the rest of the team was, the odds were good that he was at Flat Holm.  Esther learned a long time ago that Flat Holm, while not a taboo subject, wasn’t a subject that most of Torchwood wanted to discuss.  It hurt too much.  When it came time for her to learn about the refuge, she wept … and then she snogged Jack senseless.  His somewhat dazed, ‘ _what was that for_?’ garnered the response, _‘because I am so proud of you_.’

 To say that he was stunned by Esther’s declaration was a bit of an understatement.  Perhaps sensing this, Esther cupped his face in her hands and earnestly, “Jack, I won’t pretend that I’m happy that these people will never see their families again.  But … and this is really important … this isn’t about me.  This is about them, and if you tell me that most of the time, their families don’t react well to what the residents of Flat Holm have been through, then I’m betting that’s an understatement.  Those reunions don’t go well, it affects the residents.  And you … your job is to take care of them.”  He’d kissed her at that, which heated up even before Ianto joined them.

Suzie had just finished briefing him on the various safe houses in both Cardiff and London (assuming there was another attempt to destroy the Hub) when Alice and Steven arrived.  The little boy threw himself into Jack’s arms.  The immortal captain held his grandson close, a little startled.  Steven was an affectionate child, especially where Jack was concerned, but this time, the boy’s hug was a bit more fierce.  When his eyes met Alice’s over Steven’s head, his daughter said softly, “He didn’t realize at first what happened.  Then, when I showed him the footage on my phone, he understood what it meant.”  Oh.  Jack’s own arms tightened around his grandson.

 But the words that came out of the boy’s mouth nearly broke Jack.  Steven whispered, his voice muffled with his face pressed into Jack’s shoulder, “We aren’t going to let them hurt you, Uncle Jack.  Mum already said so, we won’t let anyone hurt you.”  Alice smiled a bit at that, though the smile didn’t ease the worry he saw in her eyes.  Jack kissed the top of Steven’s head, holding him tightly.  Suzie was smiling at him a bit sadly, while Esther reached over to take Ianto’s hand.   Alice put her own hand on Steven’s back, stroking lightly.

“It’s not your job to protect me, soldier … it’s my job to protect you,” Jack answered.  Steven pulled back to look at Jack, his young face extremely serious.  There was a quiet snicker from the general direction of Esther and Ianto, but Jack ignored them.  He would pay for that later, he was sure, but he was used to that.  Right now, his grandson required all of his attention, especially Steven had that Look on his face, the one that was about to turn his world upside down.  He wasn’t entirely certain, but he thought that Steven may have inherited that expression from his mother.  Jack seemed to have vague recollections of Melissa looking like that once or twice before she was taken from his life.

 And he was right.  Steven answered very seriously, “You told me once that soldiers protected, Uncle Jack.  And your nickname for me has always been soldier.  That means that I’m supposed to protect you.  That’s my job.  If I can’t protect you, ‘cause I’m little, then I’ll help Ianto and Esther take care of you.  Mum says that’s a full-time job in and of itself.”  Jack stared at the little boy in shock, and then looked up at his daughter, who was trying very hard (and failing miserably) to fight back a smile.  Following Jack’s unintended lead, Steven looked up at his mother, saying, “Right, Mum.  It’s our job to take care of Uncle Jack?”  Alice beamed down at him, kissing the back of his head as she winked at Jack.

“Absolutely, sweetheart.  Don’t even try to argue with us, Jack … I received a double-dose of stubborn from both my mum and from my father.  And my father is quite possibly the most stubborn man I’ve ever known,” Alice replied with a mischievous grin.  Jack yielded to that rather childish impulse to cross his eyes at his daughter, which drew laughter from everyone currently in the Hub (including Owen, who slipped in behind Alice and Steven, but made a quick trip down into his autopsy bay).  Of course, neither of Jack’s lovers could let that lie without making a smart remark.  In this case, it was Ianto’s snickered, ‘stubborn?  That’s something of an understatement.’

 “More like ‘obstinate,’ although in truth, that’s probably one reason why we love him so much.  He doesn’t know how to give up,” Esther put in, the cheeky minx that she was.  There was a pause, and then she waved, saying cheerfully, “Hi, Tosh …. Hi Gray … is Devin still asleep?  Oh, there he is!  Hi, sweetheart!”  The baby giggled and babbled at her, and for a few minutes, everyone enjoyed the sight of little Devin Harkness ‘waving’ at them with his mother’s help.  And then, Tosh’s eyes darkened, and everyone knew that it was time to get down to business.  Esther took her cue from the slightly older woman, observing, “We were just updating Jack on the changes we’ve been making.  You know about what’s happening?”

 It was Gray who answered, “We do.  Tosh spent most of last night making sure all of the laptops were updated with the latest firewalls and the most recent upgrades.  Thanks for that, Ianto … for the upgrades and the mini-archives.  We also know about the children speaking in unison.  My instinct is, though, that the meeting has been called for another reason altogether.  Suzie, I know that look.  You found something out when you used those parameters we discussed, didn’t you?”  Jack raised his eyebrows at his brother and second in command, but said nothing.

 “I found out a lot.  First, as we now know, the 456 do actually exist.  I did some research when Alice called to tell me about the children speaking in unison.  Everything that Jack told us about 1965 is true … everything except his involvement,” Suzie began.  Esther and Ianto scooted closer to Jack … with Esther taking his hand and Ianto putting his hand on Jack’s thigh.  Suzie continued, “I’ve tagged the names that Jack gave me.  Surprise, surprise … every last one of them are former Torchwood operatives.  I’ll be pinged if the next step is taken, to kill them.  There will be people who won’t want this to get out.  Oh, I should amend that … all are still alive, aside from one.  He’s already dead, was killed in 1970.  That brings me to the next topic.  Clem McDonald.”

 Jack’s heart clenched at the man’s name, and Esther’s fingers tightened around his own.  Suzie took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and said, “For the last forty plus years, Mr. McDonald has been at St. Luke’s Hospital here in Cardiff, under the name Timothy White.  That was done at the direction of Her Majesty.  He has a private room, also at the direction of the Crown.  In 1965, he was among several orphans to be turned over to the 456 in exchange for an antidote.  As he did in Jack’s dreams, he ran.  But that’s where the similarities end.”  Jack frowned.  Suzie took a deep gulp of water (not good), and continued, “Owen, I can tell you have questions and comments.”

 “First, in the event that we can’t find another way, I want to remind everyone that I do have some of Esther’s brain chemistry from when she was turned into a toddler.  That’s an option to us.  I’m working on other possibilities, but that’s a possible last resort for us, aside from … well, never mind.  The important thing is, we won’t be taken off guard,” Owen began.  Jack blinked.  That never even occurred to him … he remembered Esther’s time as a very little girl, of course, as well as the tests which his doctor ran while Tosh figured out a way to change her back.  That took a little more time than anticipated, since a) the weapon was designed to kill and b).  Owen continued with a small smile for him, “That’s why you hired us, Jack, because you can’t think of everything.  Besides, you were too busy taking care of Esther at the time.  You, Ianto and Tosh were her favorite people.”  This was said with a mock-glower for Esther, who merely smirked at him.  Owen continued, a little more seriously, “Now, that’s my bit.  My question is, one … why the hell is this Clem McDonald in hospital and two, why is he in a Cardiff hospital, when he’s from Scotland?”

 “I’ll answer the second question first.  He’s in a Cardiff hospital for his own protection.  Like I said, that was at the direction of the Queen,” Suzie replied.  That was a dodge.  Jack knew that she was telling the truth, but it was still a dodge.  She was stalling.  But right now, this was Suzie’s show, and he wouldn’t interrupt.  She continued after a moment, “There’s no easy way to say this.  In 1965, Jack was lying dead in the Hub after his first encounter with Abaddon.  Because someone opened the Rift, he wasn’t available to be sent on that particular operation.  It saved Jack.  Clem McDonald wasn’t so lucky.”  At those words, the certainty that Suzie was stalling solidified and turned into a very bad feeling.

“Because instead of sending someone who thought he didn’t care, but cared entirely too much, they sent someone who truly didn’t care?” Esther ventured, her fingers tightening around Jack’s once more.  For his own part, the immortal captain was staring at Suzie, his mouth dry.  Her eyes were filled with a compassion that nearly broke his heart, and he was vaguely aware of his daughter’s hand on his shoulder.  Esther went on, “Something terrible happened that night, didn’t it?  Something even worse than what happened in Jack’s dreams?”  Jack closed his eyes, hearing the firmness in her voice, and quietly mourning for the loss of her innocence.  As if hearing his thoughts, Esther added, “Jack, stop it.  I made my own choices.  Besides, at this point, I don’t think anything could really surprise me.”  There were snorts around the table, and Esther stuck out her tongue at Owen and Gray (the two worst offenders), drawing a laugh.  Some of the tension eased from the room.  But only some of it, because Jack knew whatever came out of Suzie’s mouth would completely shatter his heart.

 “You’re right, sweetheart.  You’re absolutely right.  Something far worse happened that night.  Just as he did in Jack’s dreams, Clem ran away.  But here’s where the divergence comes in.  Clem got away in that reality, in Jack’s dreams.  Unfortunately, he wasn’t that lucky in reality.  Instead of letting him go, the agent who replaced Jack shot the fleeing child in the back,” Suzie answered baldly.  There were gasps around the table, and Alice’s fingers dug into Jack’s muscles.  As if reciting a particularly difficult lesson, Suzie recited, “The bullet severed the child’s spine.  He’s been paralyzed from the waist down ever since.  Five years later, during what was supposed to be a routine mission, the agent responsible for the little boy’s injury was killed.  There’s no proof, but I suspect that the other members of his team let him die.”  Jack actually felt dizzy for a moment.  Clem McDonald was shot in the back, while fleeing from the 456.  A little boy, not much older than Steven, was shot in the back because …

 “Shit,” Owen growled.  There was a brief pause, then he added savagely, “Bastard deserves a slow death for that!”  Jack offered his medic a small smile, and then Owen asked more calmly, “So, Clem McDonald has been in hospital for forty plus years because of a severed spine.  The Crown has been paying his bills and likely chose the name Timothy White to protect him from the prats who dropped the fucking ball.  So the question becomes, what do we do next?  ‘Cause I ain’t about to sit around and wait for my captain and my workplace to get blown up.  I say we go on the offensive.”

 “The trouble is, we don’t know what the offensive is.  And Jack, you know what you mean to me, but I am not going into Thames House like we did in your dreams.  That is not happening this time around.  I may not survive this … Esther may not survive this, but if I die, it won’t be like that,” Ianto said fiercely.  Jack couldn’t have agreed more.  And if it was with his power, none of his team was dying.  He turned his head to tell Ianto just that, but his young Welshman had other ideas, capturing his mouth with a searing kiss.  Jack ignored Owen’s choking noises and Steven’s giggles and lost himself in the kiss.  Ianto broke off after a moment and pulled back, looking more than a little dazed.  But he whispered, “It’ll be different, Jack, I promise.  It’ll be different, and it’ll be better.”

 Jack smiled a little at the young man, saying softly, “You can’t make me that promise, Ianto.  None of you can.  Everyone in this room, aside from me, has a normal human lifespan, albeit somewhat shortened.  But we have advantages this time around … advantages that the other me didn’t have.  Including a head’s up, so to speak.  As to going on the offensive, there are some steps we can take.  First things first.  Tosh, Gray … as soon as you’re able, I want the two of you to head to London, with Devin.  You won’t be in any of the safe houses.  Instead, you’ll be the public face of Torchwood, if there’s such a thing, and staying in a hotel … under the protection of her Majesty.  On the way over, I contacted the Crown, so Lilibet knows that someone from Torchwood will be arriving.”  Esther mouthed, ‘Lilibet?’ and Jack explained, “The Queen’s childhood nickname among her family.  I wasn’t quite part of the family, but still permitted to use that nickname.”

 “What Dad is neglecting to tell you is that her Majesty had something of a crush on him when she was a teenager,” Alice teased gently, wrapping her arms around him from behind.  Jack smiled a little, remembering that sweet young girl during the Second World War.  Owen gagged and this time, Suzie swatted him.  Alice continued, “What else were you thinking to go on the offensive, Dad?  And don’t even think about leaving Steven and me out of this.  We’re safer with you than we are away.”  Steven nodded firmly and Jack sighed.  His daughter was right about one thing.  She was just as stubborn as he was, and at times, she was as stubborn as he and Lucia were combined.

 “Everyone else needs to prepare for the worst.  You know what I saw, and you’ve already started to go on the offensive.  I need to see Clem McDonald,” Jack replied.  The entire room (plus Tosh and Gray) began to protest, but Jack continued, “He has a role to play in this.  It’s not the same one as the role Clem played in what we call my dreams, but he has a role.  Suzie wouldn’t have found the information she did otherwise.  I know, I know I’m making myself a target for people who don’t want things to get out about 1965, but it has to be done.  And I can’t stay in here.  I can’t.  We have to gather information, and I … I owe him this.  Even though I’m not the one who shot him, even though I wasn’t there … I still owe him.”

 There was silence around the table, and then Owen said quietly, “All right.  All right.  I can respect that.  I think you’re a bloody idiot, but I can respect that.  So we safeguard ourselves and the Hub as best as possible.  Ianto, I’ll need your help to move the Weevils.”  Ianto nodded and Owen continued, “I’ll keep up my research, see if we have other avenues open to us.  History, or your mentally revised history, won’t repeat itself, Jack.”  He rose to his feet, adding, “I’ll shoot anyone who repeats this outside this room, but this lot is my family.  I won’t lose any of you.  I don’t care if you come back, Captain Idiot, it still hurts when you die, and dammit, I don’t like seeing you in pain.”

 “Not especially fun for me, either,” Jack admitted and Owen’s face softened as he put his hand on Jack’s free shoulder.  The captain took a deep breath, saying, “All right.  Suzie, I’d like you to wait in the car … just to be safe.  Ianto, you and Owen do what you have to do to protect the Weevils and our other guests.  Esther, you’ve been doing a great job of cutting down on the number of urbex deaths in the tunnels and sewers by using the urbex blogs and websites.  I want you to add this to what you’re writing about.  If things go pear-shaped, that’ll be our best bet at warning the general public.”  Esther nodded, looking absolutely determined.  Jack’s eyes swept over his team … his resolute, amazing, brilliant team.  He wanted to say something inspiring or witty.  Instead, he said only, “There aren’t words to say how proud I am of you all.  You’ve done a magnificent job, not just in this, but in conning the conman.”

 “Protecting the earth, protecting those we love … that’s not just your responsibility, Dad.  I’ve said that before, but it doesn’t make it any less true.  It’s not written in the stars that you always have to make the ugly decisions, you know.  Those in power may abdicate their responsibilities, may abdicate what they were chosen to do, but that doesn’t mean we have to,” Alice said decisively.  Jack kissed the back of her hand lightly, and she continued, “And if they try to hurt my dad again, they’ll find out that I’m like both my parents … even the parts of me that they wish I hadn’t inherited!  If they try to hurt my kid, they’ll find out just how much I am my father’s daughter!”  And that, as they said, was that.  His team had a job to do … and they would do it.

 

 

TBC


	5. A World Beyond Our Own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Suzie makes her feelings known about Jack’s choice to visit Clem MacDonald; two young-old men meet; and a would-be assassin gets more than anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contrary to popular belief, I haven’t given up on this story (or my TF/TW crossover for that matter) … I’ve just been distracted by my Birthright series. As I think I may have mentioned in previous chapters, this won’t be in the same format as Children of Earth. It won’t be Day One, Day Two, et al. That format doesn’t work for me, for some reason. Besides, with all the other things I’m changing, that seems like a small thing. I’m also in the process of finishing up my preparations for DragonCon. I have one more gift to get (yeah, that’s my thing. I give gifts to my favorites), maybe two. That’s fine. I have three weeks to go.

St. Luke’s Hospital

Two Days Later

 

 

 

“I don’t like this.”

It was the second or third time she’d said that in the last few minutes, and really, she didn’t think her companion would mind if she said it a third or fourth.  And then he gave her a Look.  All right, maybe he would mind, but he was making it bloody difficult (if not impossible) for her to keep her mouth shut.  Jack sighed, “I know you don’t like this.  I know the risks I’m taking don’t just involve me, but the entire team as well.  But I also know that none of us can do our jobs if we don’t leave the Hub.  Give me twenty minutes … if I’m not back before then, by all means, come in after me.”

Suzie rubbed her hand over her eyes, before returning her attention to her boss.  He was right … however, this didn’t fall under the heading of ‘doing their jobs.’  So far as she was concerned, he was trying to make amends for something that never happened (him turning those children over to 456 in 1965) or for something that he didn’t do (shooting Clem MacDonald in the back).  Even so, he was still her boss, still the director of Torchwood Three.  After a moment, she said, “Twenty minutes and not a deco-second longer.  Not only am I coming in after you, I’ll call in whatever reinforcements I deem necessary.”

A gentle smile touched the corners of his lips, and he covered her hand on the steering wheel with one of his own, telling her, “That’s more than reasonable.  The others know what to do if Agent Johnson and her team do use this to their advantage?”  Suzie nodded.  Even now, Gray and Tosh were in London with Devin … safely with the Queen.  Rhys was already to the Hub to pick up Alice and Steven.   After a great deal of (heated) discussion, Suzie and Jack established that this would be the most advantageous time for Johnson to make her move.  If the Hub went up, Alice and Steven would already be safely away.  They would be picked up across the street from the Hub, and a safe word was established in case someone tried to get them.  No operation was one hundred percent, but this was locked down as tightly as possible.

Owen, Esther and Ianto were back at the Hub, backing up all the systems.  Again, just in case.  According to Jack, the Queen agreed with his suggestion to let this play out, because she wanted to see who in the government (both Houses of Parliament and the Prime Minister) could be trusted.  According to Tosh, when Her Majesty learned of the likely plot against Torchwood, she was extremely displeased.  Jack grinned at that, blue eyes dancing with mischief, and Suzie wondered about that.  There was a story there, without a doubt.  Of course there was.  With Jack, there was always a story.

“Ianto is making sure that our guests can escape, and that information will be on his PDA.  We’ll be fine, Jack.  Torchwood will be much better prepared this time around,” Suzie assured him.  He offered her a half-smile, and Suzie added, “It wasn’t your fault, you know.  In your dreams.  You had no way of knowing that your own government would try to take you out.”  In truth, that was quite possibly the dumbest thing Suzie ever heard.  Seriously?  She realized that people could be stupid (as well as cruel and selfish), but that was what some of her friends on the other side of the Atlantic would call Darwin Award level of stupidity. 

Jack said nothing, which warned her not to continue.  As Esther and Ianto both observed, when their captain became quiet or stopped flirting, it was time to worry.  At least about him, but Suzie worried about him all the time.  Rhys asked her why once, since Jack was immortal.  He always came back, he always reset, he was always fine.  Suzie merely shrugged, because her husband was right, on all counts.  But that didn’t prevent her from worrying about Jack.  Of course, she never acknowledged to anyone but Rhys that she worried about Jack, not even her teammates.

Jack did what he had to do.  She couldn’t always offer him an alternative to an unpleasant course of action … but what she could and did do was stand at his side and offer her quiet (or not so quiet) support.  Like now.  She didn’t agree with what he was doing, but she loved and respected him too much to try to stop him.  Suzie leaned over to kiss his cheek, drawing a surprised smile and a mischievous gleam from her dearest friend.  He teased, “Why, Suzie, I never knew!  How would Rhys feel about a five-way?”

“Sorry.  You’re gorgeous and Ianto’s adorable, but there’s not enough room in my bed for all three of you,” Suzie retorted, lightly bumping his shoulder with her own.  He bumped back, his smile growing a little broader and much more real.  Suzie was glad.  She hated his more false smiles, the ones that didn’t quite reach his eyes (no matter how brilliant his lips were smiling).  She added, “You best be going.  I don’t have Ianto’s stopwatch here, but I can keep time.  Remember … twenty minutes, and I’m coming up after you.”

“Yes, Mother,” he teased, yelping when she elbowed him rather sharply in the ribs, and sliding out of the car.  He raced lightly up the stairs and into the hospital.  A ‘beep’ alerted her to a text from Owen, and she smiled to herself.  He’d just completed his tests on Steven and released the boy into his mother’s car.  Rhys would be picking them up shortly.  Good.  Reassured that Owen had a place to start with the proper response to the 456, Suzie returned her attention to her surveillance of the building.  Her eyes couldn’t be everywhere, but she would give Jack as much of a chance as she could.

 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

There were times when answering to the Crown really worked in his favor.  As Her Majesty told him when he asked if she could make arrangements for him to see Clem MacDonald, it was rare that he asked for anything even remotely personal … so when he did, she was inclined to grant his requests, if it was within her power.  And it was true.  Most of his requests were with regards to Torchwood and items they needed. 

Once he informed the hospital staff that he was Torchwood, he was taken upstairs to the survivor’s hospital room.  He had an entire floor to himself, Jack discovered.  Some of it was for privacy (keep the past hidden), but some of it was because of the man-child’s nightmares.  He’d been briefed on his way upstairs.  Evidently, Clem knew that he was coming.  Jack wasn’t entirely sure what that meant.  It was entirely possible that the 456’s incursion the previous time changed his brain chemistry, in a different way than in his dreams.  Jack shook his head.  Then again, at this point, he should probably expect that.

He walked slowly into the hospital, and a head turned toward him.  Eyes studied him closely.  And Jack said quietly, “You know who I am, don’t you?”  He was rewarded with a smile.  Not a knowing smile, not a bitter smile … no, the smile that decorated Clem MacDonald’s face now was best described as ‘mischievous.’  He could only smile in response, his strides drawing him closer and closer to the bed where the injured boy lay.  Unlike his other self, this Clem MacDonald was a boy … he had a boy’s face, a boy’s body, as if the 456 froze him eternally at one age.  But his mind … his mind was that of a man.

“Only sometimes,” the boy told him.  Jack blinked.  All right, that was a bit more than he was expecting!  He tried to remember how the 456 changed the other Clem, and gave up.  Because that Clem wasn’t real, while the boy in front of him was.  This boy’s smile brightened as he said, “Sometimes, my mind is that of a man … sometimes, it’s that of a child.  Sometimes, I have the mind of a man and the emotions of a child, or the mind of a child and the emotions of a man.  It’s all very confusing.”  Yeah, he would imagine so.  Jack indicated the chair beside his bed, and Clem inclined his head graciously.  The old man in the body of a young boy continued, “You’re Captain Jack Harkness, the man who can’t die, the Impossible Man.  But you aren’t Wrong, Captain.  You aren’t Wrong at all.”

The words ‘Wrong’ no longer hurt Jack as they did once, but he was curious.  Clem’s smile brightened further, as he continued, “They didn’t know that they did this to me.  Not yet.  They’ll know when they get here, and they’ll use me to remove a potential threat to them.  They don’t think I know this.  I do.  Just as I know about the danger that faces both of us.  Both of us are Impossible, Captain Jack Harkness, just in different ways.  The Doctor won’t come.  Not this time.  Not the next time.  But he doesn’t need to come, Captain Jack Harkness, because we have you.”  He spoke in almost a singsong voice and Jack had to shake his head.  Clem flushed, adding more normally, “I’m sorry.  That happens sometimes.  That’s why only certain doctors and nurses treat me.  The others … they don’t react well to it.”

Yeah, he could imagine.  And he was still recovering from it himself.  Even so, that didn’t stop Jack from reaching his hand out to Clem, a hand that was immediately taken.  The boy clung to his hand, as if Jack was the only one who could keep him from drowning.  Maybe he was.  There were just too many things he didn’t know.  Jack let him hold on, murmuring, “I won’t ask you how you know these things.  I won’t ask you how you know about the Doctor.  I came … I came to tell you that I’m sorry.  For what happened to you, for what was done to you … for whatever is coming.  I can’t be sure that I’ll be able to save you.”

Clem released Jack’s hand to cup his cheek, in almost a fatherly gesture.  He whispered, “It’s not your job to save me, Captain Jack Harkness.  There’s no one who can do that.  My fate was written forty-four years ago.  And I thank you for your apology, but you’re not responsible for what happened to me.  The man who shot me in the back … he’s the responsible party, and now he’s answering to the ultimate Judge.  You don’t have to be sorry, Jack.  Not for me, and not for the other me.”  Jack stared at the boy, startled yet again.  With everything that was said so far, that shouldn’t have surprised him.  It shouldn’t have, but it did.  Clem smiled, adding, “I dream, too, Jack.  Not just once, not under the ground, but every night.  I see the other Clem, and I haven’t walked in forty-four years, but I’m so glad I’m not him.  I’m so glad I don’t hate you or fear you.  I’m glad for your daughter, too … glad she hasn’t wasted years she’ll never get back.”

The mention of Alice truly startled Jack, and he asked, “You know about my daughter?  About my grandson, too?”  Clem merely smiled at him, and Jack muttered, “Of course.”  Clem’s hand slipped from his cheek to his hand once more, squeezing lightly.  After a moment, Jack asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?  If I can’t save you, is there something else I can do?”  Clem stared at him thoughtfully.  Jack was fully aware that he hadn’t questioned Clem about what he meant about Alice, but he had the sense it was a question he shouldn’t ask.  Given what he’d learned so far, there was a good chance Clem wasn’t entirely sure what he meant.

“You can sit with me, Jack.  You can sit with me, and you can hold my hand,” Clem answered simply.  Jack smiled at that.  Yes.  He could do that.  He gently squeezed Clem’s hand, and the boy squeezed back, a game that Jack sometimes played with Steven.  He wondered if Clem knew that as well, and decided that it didn’t matter.  They sat in silence for several moments, before the sleepy-sounding boy murmured, “You can do something else, Jack.  You can save the children.  The first time, it wasn’t your responsibility, ‘cause you were dead.  This time … this time, it’s still not your responsibility, ‘cause you didn’t make the mess, but you’re the only one who can right things.  It’ll hurt, though.”  Jack knew that.  Despite his team’s best efforts, he knew that sometimes, you could do everything right, and things still went hopelessly pear-shaped.

“Doesn’t it always, though?  Will there be enough to make it worth it, do you think?” Jack inquired, not really anticipating an answer.  However, Clem pursed his lips, as if he was thinking intently about the question.  In some ways, Clem reminded him so much of Steven … so much that it broke his heart.  He resolved not to say anything about it.  As he knew from painful experience, sometimes telling a person that they reminded you of someone else was the worst possible thing to say.

“It’ll be worth it.  Not just to the world, but to you,” Clem finally declared confidently, and Jack raised his eyebrows.  Clem offered him that same mischievous grin from earlier, a smile that the captain couldn’t help but return.  The boy repeated, “It’ll be worth it, to you.  I can’t see clearly, and I know it’ll be hard, but it’ll be fine when you get to the other side.”  Jack inclined his head, accepting that thinly-veiled promise.  They were silent for several moments, holding onto each other’s hands, when Clem asked, “Jack?  May I ask you a question now?”

“Of course,” was his prompt response, and what else could he say?  Clem offered his unconditional forgiveness for paths that were and weren’t taken, for things that had and hadn’t happened, even telling Jack that despite his current condition, he was glad for how things turned out.  Or rather, that things were better this time around, rather than what Jack and Clem both saw in their dreams or hallucinations.  The least he could do was answer a question in turn.  It might tear out his heart (it probably would), but he’d answer it anyhow.

He was right about the question tearing out his heart.  Clem asked, his gaze falling to their joined hands, “If we hadn’t been given over, all those years ago … do you think I might have found someone who wanted me?”  Jack swallowed hard and resisted the impulse to drop his head or make a joke, because dammit, Clem didn’t deserve that!  In that question, Jack heard echoes of other questions, of other wishes.  But it all came down to one thing:  why can’t I find anyone to love me, and is it my fault?  He heard that sometimes when Suzie talked about her childhood, or saw it when Owen looked at Steven or Devin.

But he also owed Clem the truth.  Jack said quietly, “I hope so, Clem.  I can’t say for sure.  What I can tell you, though?  If things were different at the time and I’d been permitted to?  If I’d known?  I would have wanted you.”  It was the truth.  All of it was the truth, but it didn’t matter, because those other variables were in play.  He was wrong, though.  It might not have mattered in the long run or in reality, but it mattered to Clem. He could see it in the boy’s eyes, could hear it in the way the boy’s breathing hitched, just a little.  It mattered to Clem … it meant the world to him.  Jack added softly, “I probably wouldn’t have made a good father, but for what it’s worth, I would have wanted you.”

“It’s worth _everything_ , Captain Jack Harkness.  And I think you woulda made a terrific dad,” Clem retorted.  Jack smiled at that, and the boy went on, “You know, some of the nurses who have been here a while, they know I’m not really a child, that I only act like one.  One of ‘em slipped me a book, not long ago, and this said that all worlds are shadows of the real world, and that people who die without dreams and hopes being realized … they get a second chance in  the real world.  I like that idea.  I don’t know if it’s true or not.  But I like that idea. I hope that I’ll be reborn in the real world, where I’ll be your son or the son of someone like you.”

Jack would never know what he would have said in response to that.  He would hope, later on, that he would have said something kind and respectful in response, instead of making a joke.  He’d never have a chance to find out.  Because as he was opening his mouth to respond (not knowing what he would say), there was a pinch in the back of his shoulder, and an alarmed expression on Clem MacDonald’s face, and then …

And then … and then, there was darkness.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

Clem hadn’t meant to tell Jack about Fionavar.  But the idea, when he read it, was so wonderful, in light of everything that happened to him and to Jack, that he _had_ to tell him about it.  As Jack slumped forward, a dart sticking out of the back of his shoulder, Clem was glad he did.  He was glad that was the last thing Jack heard before falling unconscious … or dead.  Clem curled his fingers around the nape of the impossible man’s neck, both to protect him (not that he could) and to take comfort from the simple touch.  At the same time, he was easing the missive he’d written into Jack’s pocket.  All the while, he stared at the scene that was unfolding in the doorway of his room.  A woman stood in the doorway, and the hall was quiet behind her.  There were no sounds, and that warned him.  It didn’t matter what she looked like, because he knew the important thing.  She was here to destroy Jack.  She was here to end Clem’s life.

He released Jack only when the men with her roughly seized Jack and carried him to the bed on the other side of the room. And Clem wouldn’t take his eyes from Jack’s supine form until the woman closed the curtain between the beds, removing the impossible man from his line of sight once and for all.  There were so many things that Clem wished he could have told the impossible man who was so very possible and so very human.  But the most important things were on that sheet of paper, on those sheets of paper, and he prayed that they wouldn’t find those papers.

Slowly, he turned his attention from the curtain that kept him from Jack to the woman who would take his life.  She stared back at him, saying only, “Close your eyes.”  Behind her, he saw Her materializing, and he smiled.  She smiled back, her dark green eyes filled with love and pride.  The woman before him looked over her shoulder before returning her gaze to him as she repeated, “Close your eyes.”

“No,” he replied simply.  She blinked at him, just as Jack had no more than ten minutes earlier.  But she wasn’t like Jack.  He said again, mimicking her, “No.”  She stared at him, obviously nonplussed.  And now that he saw her, he realized he’d seen her before.  She’d been here before, pretending to be a nurse.  She’d been here a while, he realized, waiting until Jack came, because when Jack came … when Jack came, it was time for him to die.  But he wouldn’t be the only one.  There were too many others who could identify her, and a scream tried to climb out of Clem’s throat.  White hot rage swept through him, as he said for a third time, “No.  No, I won’t make your job easier by closing my eyes.  No, I won’t absolve you for what you’ll do to me, what you’ve done to Jack, and what you’ve done to too many others in this hospital.  No, I won’t!”  She looked taken aback by his ferocity.

“It’s nothing personal,” she assured him, “just orders.  You’re a threat, and so is Harkness.”  Clem just laughed in her face, laughed wildly.  If only she knew … if only she knew!  The woman just stared at him, more than a little taken aback at his laughter.  He supposed he could have told her the truth … that she was the real threat.  He could have also reached through her delusions, so she saw him as Jack did.  She didn’t see a child (Jack was the only one who saw a child).  At least, he didn’t think she did.  She said again, “It’s nothing personal.”

“It’s nothing personal, just orders,” he mocked, “you know, you sound just like that idiot in the last _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movie, ‘it’s nothing personal, Jack, it’s just good business.’  I just hope you end up the same way he did, with everything blowing up around you!”  At the words ‘blowing up around you,’ the woman cast a nervous glance over her shoulder.  Over her shoulder, at the bed where Jack lay, and Clem understood what was going on.  He was going to die anyhow.  He couldn’t save Jack.  But there was one thing left he could do for him.  Clem jeered, “You think blowing him up inside his base will do any good?  Aren’t you making a stupid assumption?  What if he’s around other people, civilians, when that explosive detonates, did you think of that?  You really are a fool.   Obi-Wan Kenobi had the right of it … ‘who’s the greater fool … the fool or the fool who follows him?’  You’re a fool who follows fools!”

“Enough,” she said, and Clem fell silent.  Not because of her threat, not because he felt cowed, but because he said what needed to be said.  After a moment, she asked, “You won’t close your eyes?”  He shook his head, gazing at her all the while, and her next question was a bit obvious, but he anticipated it.  She inquired, sounding more curious than anything else, “Why not?  You’re going to die, so why not close your eyes?”  He just smirked at her, aware that at the moment, he probably seemed a bit like Jack.  That was fine, though.

“Why should I close my eyes?  I’m not afraid of you.  I’m not afraid of any of you, or those things up there,” Clem retorted.  She seemed taken aback, and Clem went on, “Why would I be afraid of you?  Just because you, and your bosses, are afraid of me … that doesn’t mean I’m afraid of you.  And yes, you’re afraid of me.  That’s why I have to die, because I know something that the government doesn’t want to get out.  They’re afraid of what I know, but I’m not afraid of you, I’m not afraid of dying.  I’ve been paralyzed for the last forty-plus years.  I have no life left here and I look forward to the next one.  I’m not afraid of you.  And I’m not about to make your life, your job, your orders any easier.”  He spat out the words ‘orders’ with all the venom he was capable of.  And that was actually a great deal.  He never had the chance to face the man who shot him all those years ago (the man’s own teammates took care of that for him) … but this woman, she was cut from the same cloth.

Clem knew that for the truth that it was when he looked into her eyes.  Her lips firmed and reached down toward the foot of the bed.  Ahh.  He was wondering about that. She must have left that here while he was asleep, while she was pretending to be a nurse, when they first infiltrated this place.  No matter.  He still wouldn’t make things easy for her.  He would continue to look into her eyes as she killed him, and he wouldn’t fight her.  That, She told him, would be the most devastating part of all.  Everyone fought death.  But he wouldn’t.  Clem saw the instrument that would take his life as it descended.

He watched as it covered his mouth and nose, eyes never leaving the woman’s face.  Even as his fingers curled in the bedcovers, even as his body fought against the failure of each organ, he never removed his gaze from her.  Even when She appeared, holding her hands out to him with a welcoming smile, his eyes never strayed from his murderess.  He couldn’t save himself.  He couldn’t save Jack.  But with every word he spoke, he was placing doubts in her mind … and that might be enough to save the children.  Jack was trying to save the children now … this woman was only acting to save her employers.  For now.

And then, Clem’s body was floating free of his body.  He could see the woman’s underling giving Jack injections every few minutes to keep him unconscious (or dead).  He could see Jack’s associate in the car, looking at her watch anxiously.  He heard her whisper, “Five more minutes, Jack, and then I’m coming in after you!”  He drifted into Her arms, felt those arms close around him, and heard Her whisper that he was home now.  She would take him to Fionavar, and then there, his life could finally begin.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional author’s notes (and disclaimers): There were quite a few references to books and movies in this chapter, but the most important was the last one. Fionavar doesn’t belong to me. Instead, it belongs to the gifted historical fantasy novelist, Guy Gavriel Kay. As mentioned in my (FF dot net) profile, Ser Kay is my writing hero. The man is just incredible. Fionavar appears in The Fionavar Tapestry (a trilogy of books), in Tigana (standalone), and Ysabel (a semi-sequel to The Fionavar Tapestry). If you want to read any of his books, one of the stand-alones would be the best place to start, or make sure you start with the first book in a duology or trilogy. Otherwise, you’ll be hopelessly lost. The other references made are, of course, Pirates of the Caribbean (specifically to Cutler Beckett) and to Star Wars. All hell breaks loose in the next chapter.


	6. Turning the Tables

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we have Suzie finding Jack after the departure of Agent Johnson; a revelation; and an escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies to all for the *extremely* long delay in getting this out, but lately I’m writing slower on everything when I do write (and I had a rough time figuring out how I wanted to start this chapter, since it’s pivotal in so many ways). For those who haven’t been reading my other stories (especially the Birthright series), after thirty-nine months of being unemployed aside from occasional temporary work, I was offered a position at a local university back in August. I recently passed the halfway point of my six-month probationary period, and aside from a few bumps, love my job. I am currently on Christmas break, which started at two pm on Friday afternoon and will run until eight am on January 2nd. I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season. For my own part, I’m relieved to only have a few more gifts left to buy … then I have to start mailing things. Hopefully, I’ll manage at least one more chapter before I go back to work, but I can’t make any promises.

St. Luke’s Hospital

Cardiff, Wales

Same Day

 

He jolted back to life with his usual gasp for breath and disorientation.  There was, curiously enough, no pain this time, aside from the usual headache.  Even so, that was enough … so was the disorientation.  A wild glance around told him two things … one, that he was on the ground; and two, that he was still at St. Luke’s.  Oh yes, and he would get an earful from Suzie, but that went without saying.  Jack pushed himself to his feet, gripping the bed beside him as support.  His legs weren’t as steady as he would have liked, and the room was entirely too quiet.  The bed was empty … but he was on the opposite side of the room from Clem.  Assuming he was in the same room … but Jack was sure that he was.  The curtain separating the two sides of the room was closed, and Jack’s heart clenched.  He knew what that meant … but he pulled the curtain to the side anyhow.  Clem McDonald lay in the bed, utterly and completely still.  Jack took a few halting steps forward, nodding sadly to himself as he acknowledged that the old man/young boy was quite dead.  He took the still-warm hand, cradling it between his hands.  He didn’t say anything.  ‘ _I’m sorry_ ’ wasn’t good enough … and in truth, there really weren’t any words that were good enough right now.  Maybe ever.

Jack heard Suzie’s voice all the way down the hall and called back, “In here, Suzie.”  Moments later, his second rushed into the room and Jack looked up.  There were so many things he could have said.  But in the end, he said nothing.  Suzie stared at him, eyes softening imperceptibly.  Neither spoke, not at first.  Instead, she slowly made her way to his side, wrapping her hand around his forearm in a silent gesture of support, of comfort.  Jack looked away from Clem’s peaceful face, looked at Suzie’s fingers curled around his arm, at the two rings that adorned the third finger of her left hand.  There was nothing more he could do for Clem.  The man-child was no longer in pain, no longer needed him (if in fact he ever did), but there were others who needed him, including Suzie … including Rhys … including Anwen.

Jack released Clem’s hand and murmured, “I never saw them.  He did, though.  I could see it in his eyes.  And when this is over, I need to talk to Lilibet.  Clem deserves … he deserves the best we can give him.”  He looked at Suzie more directly, adding, “But we have to finish this first.  That’s the best way we can honor him, by making sure those alien bastards don’t get their hands on any of our children, not on a single one of ‘em.”  Suzie nodded, her expression hardening.  Not in anger, but in determination.

“I saw them leaving the hospital … told the doctors and nurses not to come up until I gave the all-clear,” his second in command told him.  Good.  That was good.  No point in them getting caught in the crossfire.  Suzie asked almost hesitantly, “Did they put something in you?”  _In other words, do we have to worry about an exploding Jack_?  The chances were good that they left without something, and the brunette asked him, “Then what do we do?  We can’t go back to the Hub, it’ll put the others in danger.”

“And what about the people going about their daily lives, Suzie?  You know, the ones we’re supposed to be protecting?  If we get back to the Hub, it’ll at least contain the blast,” Jack answered quietly as he steered them both out of that room.  He said nothing more as they took the lift down, speaking again only when they were out on the sidewalk, “No.  No, we get back to the Hub, and if they did put something inside me which I can’t feel jostling around in there, I can go into the lower parts of the Hub while the rest of you escape.  You know the drill, Suzie.”  She responded with a dirty look as she slid into the passenger side of the SUV.

“I know.  I know that you’ll always die before you let anything happen to the rest of us,” she retorted, and she didn’t sound at all happy about that.  Jack honestly didn’t care if she was unhappy about that or not.  It was the way it had to be.  He couldn’t always protect his people, his team, his family, but if taking that hit did protect them, he would do it.  Suzie added with a sigh, “I’m sorry.  I know you’re doing what you think is right, what you know will keep us safe, but I hate seeing you in pain.  We all hate seeing you in pain.”  Jack squeezed her hand as he started the engine, and Suzie continued, “I’ll call the others, let them know we’re on our way back.  Rhys called while you were inside … he made it safely.”

Jack nodded.  There were times when the dream world (as he’d taken to calling it … it wasn’t exclusively a nightmare world, because there were good things that happened there) seemed very close.  And that world seemed closer than usual when he was around Rhys Williams, mainly because his relationship with Rhys was so different here.  Most of his other relationships stayed the same (such as Ianto) or deepened (such as Esther), but his relationship with Rhys in the real world was far, far different … and he liked that difference.  He liked a lot of the differences.

“Have we heard from the others?” Jack asked, and by that he didn’t mean the rest of the team.  Rather, he was asking about the contacts Suzie established in other countries.  While the UK had Torchwood and UNIT, the rest of the world had other agencies in their respective countries.  Suzie nodded slightly, which meant … which meant she would tell him what she learned during the drive to the Hub.  As Jack pulled out, he looked around him … looked at the people going about their business.  There was a tension in their movements that probably wasn’t there this morning, a wariness as they looked around.  And even after the threat was removed, it would still be there.   It would probably be there for some time.  He couldn’t do anything about that … people would need to heal on their own terms after this was over.  But he _could_ do something about giving them time to heal.

 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 

Esther Drummond could actually count on one hand the number of times she became dizzy.  The most recent time (before today) was when she fainted during her first meeting with Jack, Ianto and Owen.  And yes, that counted because she became dizzy before fainting.  But that was from horror and shock at what she experienced during that tour of the sewers and seeing what the Weevil did to her friends … not from joy.  And a lovely sort of fear, if fear could ever actually be termed lovely in any shape or form.

But this … she pressed a hand to her chest, struggling to slow down her heart and her breathing before she actually did faint.  Not that putting pressure on her chest would do anything, except maybe make things worse, and … oh, this was bad.  She was rambling in her thoughts.  Ianto murmured, his hand warm against her back, “Slow and deep breaths, cariad.  I know, you’ve had quite a shock, but hopefully not a bad shock.”  _A bad shock_?  Esther thought about that for a moment, hearing not just the words themselves, but Ianto’s tone.   He sounded afraid.

During the last few minutes, ever since Owen dropped the bombshell, aside from that dizzy feeling, Esther actually felt as if she was underwater.  Everything seemed muted while she worked out what Owen told her.  More to the point, she was trying to figure out if she should have realized this on her own, with the changes her body was already making.  Now, however, hearing the fear (or concern) in Ianto’s voice, it was as if Esther pushed up through the water, her head breaking the surface and now, she could hear everything that was going on around her.  She looked into Ianto’s eyes as Owen said in an uncharacteristically gentle voice, “Oi, leave the girl alone, Tea-boy … don’t imagine she was expecting that.”

Ianto’s free hand moved to her lower abdomen, where their child (her child) was growing, and he asked, “Do you want this baby?”  That was the question, wasn’t it?  Of course she wanted Ianto’s baby or Jack’s baby.  But what frightened her right now was, what kind of mother she’d be?  And what kind of world was she bringing a child into?  She’d spent so much of her life taking care of Sarah, and then the girls, and then later, Jack and Ianto (because no matter what he might say to the contrary, Ianto did need someone to look after him).  But a baby?  A tiny, helpless human being, relying completely on her?  How could she not be frightened by that, even as she was exhilarated by it.  A child, a baby, a physical representation of her love for Ianto and Jack!

“Of course I do, Ianto,” she finally said, reaching up with one hand to touch his face, while the other hand migrated to cover his, “It’s just a lot to take in, just like Owen said.”  The doctor in question winked at her, as Esther continued, “And while I know that both you and Jack will be absolutely brilliant fathers, I have to wonder … what kind of mother will I be?  And do I have any business in Torchwood now?”  It sounded petty, but Esther never pretended to be something she wasn’t.  Torchwood had gotten under her skin, the way it did for everyone, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to give it up.

“Are you kidding?  You’re going to be a fantastic mum!” Owen blurted out, tearing Esther’s attention away from Ianto and back to him.  It was rare when their snarly doctor revealed his gooey inside, and usually, he behaved like an absolute assbutt afterward to make them forget that it happened (but Suzie tried to make sure that something was recording so that attempt failed).  Right now, he was staring hard at her, saying, “Trust me, Esther.  I’ve seen bad mums, and you aren’t even in the same solar system as them.  Besides, you won’t be alone.  We’ll all be with you.  And as to Torchwood, whether you still belong here … look at Tosh.”

There was that.  Esther remembered when Tosh announced that she was pregnant with baby Devin.  It was just … she wasn’t sure if she was as strong as Tosh was.   It seemed she spoke the last words aloud, for Owen snorted, “That’s a load of bollocks!  Esther, love, you are just as strong as any member of this odd, dysfunctional little family.  May not be the same kind, but you have your own strength.  Listen to me, baby sister … you are going to be a fantabulous mother.”  The ‘baby sister’ got her attention in a way that not even his fingers cradling her chin could have.  Owen never talked like that … except when he did.  Except when he had to.  Esther might have said something (something she shouldn’t have in her shock) … but they were distracted by a set of new arrivals.  Or maybe, it would be better to say, ‘a pair of returnees,’ since Myfwanwy’s caws alerted them that they were no longer alone. 

“Mother?  Did you say ‘mother,’ Owen?  Are we going to have another Torchwood baby?” came a familiar, beloved voice.  Esther looked around as Owen released her.  Jack smiled at her, although there were lines around his eyes that weren’t there when he and Suzie left for the hospital.  Esther nodded with a shy smile, and Jack’s eyes swept up and down her body, as if visualizing her heavily pregnant.  Not that he had to visualize much … not after their encounter with the Nostrovite.  Still, her cheeks burned and she ducked her head, especially as his gaze grew steadily more … heated.  He never touched her, but it wasn’t necessary … his eyes were touching her, and oddly enough, that was as intimate as any touch shared between the three of them as they tumbled about the bed.  Ianto kissed the top of her head, wrapping his free arm around her shoulders as he beamed at Jack.  For just a few minutes, none of them had to think about the threat facing all the children of Earth.

All the children of Earth.   Esther thought about what Jack told her about the other reality (the dream world, the nightmare world, the coma dreams), and it seemed as if a picture had shifted into focus.  They had to put an end to this.  Not buy themselves time, not kick the can down the road … they had to do this now.  Because if they didn’t, the 456 would eventually be back.  For the sake of her unborn child and Steven and Anwen and Devin, for the sake of Alys and Melanie, as well as all the other children of Earth, they had to put a stop to this right now.  No quarter given.  Suzie, who followed Jack into the medbay, kissed her cheek … and when did she end up on Esther’s other side, opposite Ianto?  Didn’t really matter.  Jack asked, his voice very soft, “We’re having a baby?”  This question was different than the first time he asked the question.  It was … it was just different.  Esther nodded shyly and Jack’s eyes met Ianto’s over her head.  The girl felt, rather than saw, Ianto nod, and Jack approached the pair almost tentatively.  He put his hand over Ianto’s and Esther’s, his free hand coming up to cup Esther’s cheek as he brushed a light kiss to Ianto’s temple.

It was a perfect, beautiful moment, with all three of their hands covering their child, protecting their little one even now.  Which meant, of course, that it couldn’t last.  Owen swore, breaking the spell between the three expectant parents, and said, “Bloody hell, Jack … you got something inside you!”  Jack’s hand dropped and he turned more fully toward Owen, who was still holding the … whatever he used to determine that Esther was pregnant.  The doctor repeated, sounding genuinely furious, “Those sick bastards put something inside you!  It ain’t very big, but you can pack a lot of explosive into a little caplet.”

A Look passed between Jack and Suzie, and then before Esther’s eyes, the tentative, hopeful expectant father gave way to the Captain as Jack told them, “We knew something like this might happen.  All right, people, we’re utilizing Evacuation Code 11-03.  Owen, lock down everything you can, and what you can carry, take with you.  Suzie, release our guests and Myf.  Ianto … take care of our lady.”  It went without saying, to all of them, that Jack would be remaining here.  According to Evacuation Code 11-03, the item that posed the threat to the Hub and/or its residents, would be taken to the lowest level of their base and left there.  In this case, it was Jack.

“I’ll stay with you!” Esther said, startling herself.  Which was, she realized as soon as the words were out, an incredibly stupid thing to say.  Yes, she and Ianto always tried to make sure that Jack wasn’t alone when he revived … but this time?  This time was different.  Jack would be torn apart by the explosion and so would anyone nearby.  And yet, Esther couldn’t bring herself to take back the words.  Jack’s eyes softened and he tenderly cupped her face in his hands, bright blue eyes staring into her very soul (or so it seemed).

“You will not, Esther Catriona.  Shhh.  I know you want to stay with me.  I know you both do,” he said, including Ianto, “but you can’t.  I’ll come back.  You won’t.”  Esther started to protest (though she wasn’t entirely sure why, since she knew damn good and well that he was right), but Jack shushed her, adding, “No, sweet girl.  No.  You and Ianto, Suzie and Owen, you need to get out of here … there isn’t much time.  You can’t think like an agent right now … there will be time for that later, when it’s necessary.  Right now, you have to think like a mother.  You have to put this baby first.”  Esther swallowed hard, closing her eyes.  He was right.  She knew he was right.  Maybe she was right to fear being a mother when she was being selfish already.  She nodded, eyes still closed, and Jack brushed a light kiss against her forehead, adding, “Good girl.  Ianto … get her out of here.  Get yourself out of here.  There isn’t much time.”

“We’ll see you on the other side, cariad.  Don’t worry.  I’ll take care of them both.  Just make sure that you stay out of the hands of those bastards.  I don’t much fancy breaking concrete,” Ianto answered and Esther opened her eyes as Jack grinned impishly.  As Owen rushed about, and Suzie opened the cage doors to release their guests, Ianto towed Esther toward an exit she only recently learned about … one that he used when he smuggled his late fiancée Lisa into the Hub.  Through it all, Jack descended further and further into the Hub.  It should have been one of the happiest days of her life … learning that she was pregnant with her first child.  And it still was.  But Esther Drummond swore to herself that she would make those bastards pay for hurting Jack and for putting her unborn child at risk.  By the time she finished with them, they’d _wish_ for something as merciful as being encased in concrete!

 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 

Surprising no one, Ianto Jones’ thought process wasn’t that different from his female lover’s.  Like Esther, he didn’t want to leave Jack.  Like Esther, he was beyond furious that this wonderful, magical, extraordinary day was tainted by both the 456 and by the bastards who put an explosive inside Jack.  And like Esther, he was bound and determined to make the individuals pay for hurting Jack and for putting their baby in danger.  (He was very careful to avoid speaking of being bound when he was near Jack … their captain might get some ideas.  On the other hand, it was likely he already had those ideas) 

Right now, however, his concern was with Esther and their unborn child.  Shortly after the Daleks moved the Earth (along with many other planets), and Jack returned to them, Jack and Ianto sat down with Esther and told her about Lisa and everything that went with it.  Neither held anything back.  After they were finished, she sat between them, silent for several moments before kissing each on a cheek (upper one, thank you very much) and quietly heading into the kitchen after thanking them for telling her.  Jack and Ianto stared at each other for a long moment, before Ianto rose to his feet and followed her into the kitchen. 

The young Welshman realized immediately that she wasn’t reacting as well as she seemed to be.  And instead of asking her what she was thinking or feeling, he simply slid onto one of the bar chairs that Esther used in place of a ladder (they wouldn’t let her do that any more).  At last, she told him that they didn’t need to tell her what happened with Lisa … it happened before they met her, and it didn’t have anything to do with her.  All true … but she was still upset.  And she was.  She was upset with him, she was upset with Jack, and she was upset with herself for being upset with them.  Again, it wasn’t at all surprising that her voice broke when she admitted that … nor was it surprising when Ianto pulled her into a fierce embrace.  She clung to him, burying her face against his shoulder.  And the biggest not-surprise of all was when the door opened and a moment later, Jack enfolded them both in his strong arms and his great heart.

Ianto couldn’t remember exactly how they got back to the sofa, but once they were once more settled, Esther asked him to tell her about Lisa.  Not about how she died, but the woman herself.  It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her about how beautiful she was, but that wasn’t what Esther was asking.  Instead, he began telling her about the day he realized he was in love with her … her insecurity (‘ _I would love you no matter what you looked like_ ’) … their plans for the future … the way they would giggle together, over nothing at all.  Some of his stories brought tears to Esther’s eyes … others made her giggle helplessly, and Ianto realized that Esther had her own hold on his heart. 

That was a hard afternoon for him, in the beginning.  But now, as he led Esther through the tunnels that he used to smuggle Lisa into the Hub so long ago, Ianto was grateful.  Grateful, because she was trusting him without question (although she might end up breaking his hand, if she held it any tighter.  On the other hand, maybe he should get used to it … they still had to get through labor).  They reached his motorcycle, which he parked in this tunnel after they were able to get the entire story out of Jack (well, actually, it was after they found out that Gwen Cooper was real … if Jack was right about her, he was right about other things).  Esther looked at it, and then looked at him, asking a bit hesitantly, “Are you sure it’s safe?” 

Ianto started to tease her about trusting him, until he remembered the last thing Jack said to her, ‘ _you have to think like a mother, you have to put this child first_.’  He took both of her hands and said softly, “No, cariad … I’m not.  What I am sure of is that we’ll be safer going out this exit than we will be either of the main exit … and that this is our only way out on this exit.  I’m sure of one other thing.”  Esther looked at him, and oh God, the trust in her eyes threatened to steal his breath away.  Ianto cupped her face in his hands, whispering, “I’m sure I won’t let you, either of you, fall.  I’ll catch you.”  She swallowed hard and nodded jerkily, accepting the helmet he offered her.  She whispered a quick apology, and Ianto shook his head.  She had nothing to apologize for.  He settled himself on the motorcycle, smiling as she took up position behind him, arms wrapping around his waist.

The young man didn’t tell her to hold on tight.  He didn’t say anything.  They were reaching a point where seconds literally counted, and Ianto wasn’t interested in telling Esther what she already knew.  Instead, he roared out of the tunnel, Esther’s arms tightening as they picked up speed … and as an explosion rocked the ground under them and the walls around them.  But she didn’t cry out, didn’t scream, just held on steadfastly … even if her body trembled.  Ianto’s own fingers tightened around the bars as the Hub … and Jack … went up behind them.  He might cry, but that would be later.  Right now, he had a job to do.

To her credit, Esther didn’t ask where they were going.  She wouldn’t have recognized it anyhow.  According to Jack, the house that was their destination belonged to Rhys and Gwen Williams in the other reality … and he bought it after Rhys and Suzie bought a new house with the addition of Anwen to their family.  Ianto smiled to himself coldly … people often made the mistake of underestimating Jack, thinking that his stunning looks, incredible charm, and mega-watt smile were all he had going for him.  But Jack was a helluva lot smarter than that.  When he purchased the house, he put it in the name of a friend … someone with a tie to the Doctor, and UNIT wouldn’t touch the Doctor or his Companions.  They knew better. 

As Ianto pulled up in front of the cottage in question, two women were waiting for them … one with a peach complexion and one whose skin was nearly the same shade as Lisa’s.  Ianto removed his helmet and smiled, saying, “Hello, cousins.”  Harriet Jones returned the smile as she approached the pair, putting a protective arm around Esther’s shoulder as the young American woman dismounted from the motorcycle.  Ianto followed a moment later, and Harriet embraced him as well.  Not surprisingly, the gentleness from a woman who, though compassionate, wasn’t known for her warm fuzzies (as Esther put it) nearly stripped away the last of Ianto’s defenses.  But he held on, because there was more to be done. 

“Let’s get you two children inside,” Harriet’s companion said, interlacing her fingers with Ianto’s as the two women led Ianto and Esther inside.  Ianto took one last look around, and the dark-skinned woman said, “I’ve been keeping an eye out, Ianto.  No one knows we’re here.  I may not be Torchwood or UNIT, but I know when I’m being watched.  I spent a year under the Master’s eye … I know what to look for.”  Ianto ducked his head and followed the three women inside.  There was no arguing with this woman.  He learned that the hard way, and Esther never even bothered.  She always smiled and said, ‘ _yes, ma’am, whatever you say_ ’ and giggled when she earned a swat on the bum with her cheekiness.

Harriet settled Esther on the sofa, still holding her hand, and Ianto said quietly, “It’s started.  Not just the children, but the attacks on Torchwood.  Within the next thirty minutes, you’ll see broadcasts about an explosion at the Millennium Center.  That was the Hub … that was Jack.”  There were two gasps of horror, and Harriet’s eyes flashed with fury.  Oh, she was a formidable woman, even as just an ordinary citizen and subject of the Queen!  Once more, Ianto was grateful that Jack gave Harriet the means to protect herself when the Daleks came calling.  The United Kingdom would have lost an extraordinary woman if she’d died … and they would have lost a loyal friend.  While Harriet was uncomfortable with some of their methods, she trusted Jack … and knew he made none of his decisions lightly.  Just as she didn’t.  That was more than Ianto could say for some ‘allies.’  Not naming names, of course.

Of course, this wasn’t the safe house, or even a safe house.  Rather, this house was a way station, a place where they could rest before joining the rest of the team.  Esther was trembling, a delayed reaction, and Harriet wrapped a blanket around her shoulders before going into the kitchen to retrieve a cup of tea for her.  Ianto found the liquor, because he needed it … would need it for the story he was about to tell them.  By now, both women knew about Jack’s coma dreams, about the dream world/nightmare world.  When Suzie began making her plans, Owen thought both women should be brought into their plans … and Suzie agreed.

As Harriet settled the cup in front of Esther and took her hand once more, Ianto began his story (carefully leaving out what he, Jack, and Esther were doing when the children started speaking in unison, because really, it wasn’t any of their business).  He told them about Clem McDonald and his end, about everything they’d learned in the last two days, and about Esther’s columns in her blog, warning people to avoid ‘vaccinations’ given by the government for their children during the next few days.  Harriet’s eyes were burning with rage when she heard the last bit, but said nothing.  Ianto knew the former Prime Minister well enough to realize that this was not a good sign … not a good sign at all.  At least, not for the bad guys.  Neither Ianto nor Esther said anything about Esther’s pregnancy … but then, it proved to be unnecessary.

As a lull fell in the conversation, the third Jones in the room asked gently, “Do you know how far along you are in your pregnancy, Esther?  I would say you’re no more than six to eight weeks.”  Both Torchwood operatives stared at her in shock and the woman continued with a small smile, “I gave birth to three children, my dears … I know when a woman is pregnant.  So, how far along are you?”  Esther looked at Ianto, who could actually feel himself turning green.  This … was not a conversation he anticipated having … then again, nothing went to plan from the moment Esther fainted into his arms while they were checking the Weevils.  Not even Janet’s keening when Esther collapsed.  Ianto would almost swear she knew there was something happening to the blonde girl.  Maybe she did … it wasn’t as if they could actually communicate with her.  They really didn’t know what she knew and what she understood.

“Um … Owen said that I was about five weeks pregnant.  We just found out today,” Esther admitted softly.  Her voice broke as she added, “We found out about ten minutes before Jack and Suzie returned to the Hub … before those … those _pricks_ blew up our man.”  And now the shock and the horror was giving way to fury once more.  Fury that was swallowed as she looked up with a shy smile, adding, “I’m sorry, I should have known better than to think you wouldn’t notice, Mrs. Jones.  I guess … I guess I’m still processing … everything.”  This was said with a helpless gesture of her free hand.

“Oh, honey … in the first place, you don’t have to apologize for _anything_.  You’ve both been through something no one should ever have to go through.  And don’t think I haven’t been watching your expression, Ianto Jones.  I know you’re in the same shape as Esther, although you’re not pregnant,” was the fierce response.  Then again, this was a fierce woman.  And that fierce woman continued after a moment, “And Esther, how many times do I have to tell you?  You’re to call me ‘Francine.’  For all intents and purposes, you’re my daughter-in-law, you’re family, and you have been from the moment you joined Torchwood.  Ianto can tell you.  Jack became my son on the Valiant, and the rest of your team was absorbed into my family as well.  You came later, as did Rhys, but you children are still part of my family … and that is my grandbaby you’re carrying now.  Leo’s favorite TV show is an American series called ‘ _Supernatural_ ,’ and there’s a line from that he likes to quote, ‘ _family doesn’t end with blood_.’  You remember that, Esther Drummond.  Family doesn’t end with blood.”

“Well said, Francine,” Harriet observed with a short, quick nod, “now let’s talk about how we’re going to turn the tables on these nasty little fellows … both sets of them.  Her Majesty has already been in contact with me.  Let me tell you about what she’s said so far.  I believe your Tosh and Gray are with her, as is their son, but there are some things she hasn’t shared with them yet.”  Ianto and Esther looked at each other, and then Ianto put down his glass, giving Harriet his complete and undivided attention.  He learned that in addition to this house, while the rest of the team was making their contingency plans, Jack was making contingency plans of his own.  Of course he was.  He wouldn’t be Jack, otherwise.  Let the turning of the tables commence, then!

 

TBC 


	7. The Human Pack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we have the Weevils putting a hurt on the invaders; Jack’s reunion with the rest of his team and family (what, you thought I’d have him encased in concrete? Not a chance!); while Suzie reflects on the variations between Jack's coma dreams and the real world ... especially the differences in her own life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we have an unexpected perspective, as one of the residents of the Hub puts in her two cents. This brings me to the names, as provided by Janet. The name she was given in her home dimension/home world is a combination of my youngest nieces and nephews: Victoria Aurora, Melissa, Alexander, Hannah, Sabrina. The name Janet gave to Jack is a combination of my two oldest nephews: Travis and Christopher. Meanwhile, ‘Rotch’ is nothing more than an anagram of ‘Torch.’ As to the names of the others … she didn’t give Suzie and Tosh names because she really can’t tell the difference between them. However, they’re still part of her pack. Oh, and since it is Christmas Eve, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas (and Happy Boxing Day, if that’s the right terminology for those in the appropriate countries)!

On her world … or perhaps it was her dimension, she could never keep that straight … her name was Vamealhasa, and she was one of the greatest entertainers ever known to her people.  She was adored and feted … and all that changed in the blink of an eye.  She still didn’t know how she came to be here … went from having her fur carefully combed and ruffled to wearing these awful … whatever these were.  At home, she was special and many of her kind wanted to be her or be with her.  Here?  Here, she was surrounded by horrid things without fur.  And even as she recoiled from them, Vamealhasa felt sorry for these fur-less beings.  At least, some of them. 

Some were pitiful indeed … some were monsters … while others … while not beautiful like her people were, were compassionate.  She’d been starving and alone, and oh so afraid, before the hooman monster captured so many of her people for his unnecessary fights.  And yet, despite that hooman’s cruelty to her people, she couldn’t help but feel grateful … he gave her a hooman pack of her own.  It wasn’t home … it would never be home.  But these hoomans cared for her … and they cared for each other.  The tall one, the most beautiful one of them all because of his lovely, shiny teeth … he gave her a name, and while it wasn’t the name she’d carried in her world, it was still better than no name at all. 

He called her _Jaanut_ , which she had to admit was shorter than _Vamealhasa_.  Perhaps not as pleasing to the ear, but nice.  It was nearly impossible for her to communicate with him, or the other hoomans.  The closest to come to communicate was the small male, the one who fought Vamealhasa’s kind to save them.  She was amused by that dichotomy, and in her mind, called him Healer.  The beautiful one she named ‘ _Trachr_ ,’ which meant beautiful in her language.  She still had no names for the two females with dark fur on their head, although she called the young female with gold fur on her head, ‘ _Bright Fur_.’  She had the smell of both Trachr and the Caretaker on her.  Was that common among these furless beings?  Vamealhasa didn’t know.  She wished she’d paid more attention in her studies, but her greatest joy was always entertaining.

As time passed, as the moons passed, she grew content.  It wasn’t the life that she left behind, but she was fed and cared for.  Here, she was safe from the cruel furless ones.  Bright Fur was a bit afraid of her … from what Vamealhasa could gather, she was attacked and saw her friends killed by others like Vamealhasa.  They really didn’t have a name for themselves, aside from ‘Rotch,’ which meant ‘the people.’  Not like the hoomans did, which was rather confusing … and yet, imaginative.  Perhaps she should have expected things to come to an end.

Mere hours after Bright Fur collapsed into the arms of the Caretaker, one of the females with dark fur came down and began releasing them.  All of them.  To Vamealhasa’s surprise, she could actually understand her.  The furless one said, “Listen to me, all of you.  A … an explosive has been planted in our captain, in Jack … you all need to leave.”  Explosive?  She knew this word!  She still didn’t understand why the furless one’s words were making sense, but it didn’t really matter.  Leave?  Where would they go?  The furless woman closed her eyes and when she opened them, Vamealhasa was stunned to see them wet.  She said, “Please.  Find safety, even if you have to stay in the sewers.  None of us want to see you die.”

Which was how, after so long under the ground, Vamealhasa could see the sky and feel the wind in her fur.  One of the other Rotch told her they should go, but … no.  No, this was her home, and these hoomans were her pack, and other hoomans were trying to hurt them!  She told the other Rotch to go, to be free (and stay out of trouble!) … she would stay here.  The hoomans needed her, and you didn’t turn away from the pack.  It was at that moment that a horrific explosion rocked the very ground and Vamealhasa knew that Trachr (or, as other hoomans called him, ‘Jack’) was dead.  Vamealhasa grieved for him … grieved even more when she returned to find pieces of him scattered about.  With as much gentleness as she could, Vamealhasa arranged his body in the correct order but grief turned to rage when her home was invaded.

These hoomans … first they harmed her pack and now they invaded her home?  That would not go unavenged!  With a low growl, she set herself to defend Trachr’s body.  She didn’t know why they wanted him, but they could not have him.  The others were safe.  Vamealhasa didn’t know how she knew this.  She just did.  The others were safe, and Trachr gave his life so that they would be safe and the hoomans above would be safe as well.  These invading hoomans would not be permitted to take him.  Over the next several hours, she evaded their bullets and tore them apart.  But she wasn’t alone.  Other Rotch came back and tore apart the invaders, some giving their lives to protect Trachr’s body … which was, terrifyingly enough, knitting back together.  Vamealhasa saw enough dead hoomans to know that wasn’t supposed to happen, but when one of the other Rotch tried to kill him again, calling Trachr an abomination, she stopped her.  Trachr was part of her pack.  Not even one of her own kind would be permitted to harm him.

By this time, the invaders were driven off and as Trachr’s body once more became whole, Vamealhasa pulled him into her arms with infinite gentleness.  She had no way of knowing, of course, that the hoomans she called Bright Fur and the Caretaker did this.  Why would she?  But it felt like the right thing to do, and as Trachr’s sky eyes opened, he started, nearly bumping heads with Vamealhasa.  She waited for him to pull away in fear and horror, but instead, Trachr whispered, “Jaanut?  Is that you?”  She keened gently at him, delighted that he recognized her.  He offered her an exhausted smile before shivering violently and Vamealhasa pulled him closer.  She needed to return him to the other hoomans.  Something terrible was happening to the Rotch younglings … and Trachr could stop it.  But first, he needed to find the rest of the hooman pack.  Vamealhasa would do that.  Trachr and the others took care of her … now, it was time for her to return the favor.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 

Technically speaking, once he picked up Alice and Steven Carter, Rhys Williams was supposed to wait until his wife, Jack, and Owen joined them.  (He questioned where Esther and Ianto would be, and was told that they would be making a stop elsewhere first.  He was not informed where that other stop would be or what they would be stopping for.  It probably wasn’t his business, and he was actually a little afraid to find out the answer).

Regardless.  He was never very good when it came to the technicalities of Torchwood.

Rhys became even worse with technicalities when Steven shrilly cried out from the living room of the safe house that there was an explosion at the Millennium Center.  Anwen was crying (more because Steven scared her than because she was upset about the Hub), while Alice’s eyes narrowed in a way that made Rhys very, _very_ glad that they were on the same side.  And those eyes turned on him as she said very quietly, very calmly, “Get back out there and get my dad, Rhys.  I’ll take care of the kids, and anyone who tries to lay a hand on them.”

She patted the revolver that was strapped to her thigh and Rhys swallowed hard.  He was still getting used to being around guns, and the way Alice handled the one Esther gave her before they left the Hub made it extremely clear that she knew her way around a weapon.  He knew that his daughter and Steven were safer with Alice to protect them than if Rhys himself stayed.  He also knew that Jack would strangle him with his own entrails if Rhys inadvertently led their human enemies back to Alice and Steven.  So, he could be forgiven for hesitating.  He was a lorry driver and a manager at the firm … he wasn’t cut out for this cloak and dagger stuff.  Rhys left that to Jack since Gwen’s death at the warehouse.

Alice’s face softened at his very obvious trepidation and she said more gently, “Rhys, I promise it’ll be fine.  It …” Was unnecessary for him to go anywhere, because the door opened behind him.  Alice raised the gun, Steven ducked over Anwen protectively, while Rhys moved between the door and the children.  Suzie and Owen entered, both blinking at the sight of Alice leveling that gun as if she’d been doing it her entire life (maybe she had).  The woman in question demanded, “Where’s my dad?  Where are Esther and Ianto?”

“And hello to you too, darling,” Owen snarked, yelping a little bit as Steven threw himself into his arms.  Rhys glanced back at the boy’s mother as Alice smirked a bit.  She met his eyes and once more, Rhys could see Alice’s resemblance to her father.  He looked back in time to see Owen fold his arms around Steven, blushing just a little.  Rhys waggled his eyebrows and Owen glowered at him … but he didn’t release Steven.  The doctor said more seriously, “Esther and Ianto will be along in a bit.”

Rhys had to ask, “And Jack?”  His wife’s face actually crumpled and Rhys realized that Jack wasn’t caught in the explosion.  He likely _was_ the explosion.  The Welshman moved forward to gather his wife into his arms, tucking her head under his chin.  He didn’t say anything.  There was nothing he could say.  ‘ _Ah, cheer up, love, he’ll be back_?’  True, but beyond insensitive.  He knew from talking to Esther that both Ianto and Suzie feared Jack’s ‘luck’ would run out one day.  And so, he just held his trembling wife, smiling into her hair as he felt Anwen’s tiny arms wrap around their legs.  Suzie huffed out a wet laugh, but it was Alice who lifted the toddler and passed her into her parents’ arms.  Anwen patted her mother’s wet cheeks, babbling away, and Suzie laughed again, pressing a kiss to their little girl’s forehead.

Alice’s face was stone cold, but her voice was gentle as she said, “Rest a bit.  We’ll go back out to get Dad later.”  Suzie nodded, still cuddling Anwen close.  There were no arguments.  These bastards, whoever they were, wouldn’t have a chance to drown Jack in concrete.  Rhys shook as he thought about his friend’s stories about the dream world where Gwen was part of his team.  First Jack was killed by a bomb planted in him, and then he was encased in concrete?  What kind of people would do that to another human being?  When Rhys asked that, Jack offered a smile that never quite reached his eyes and replied, ‘ _Ah, but don’t forget, Rhys … according to people like that, I’m not a human being at all, but a freak_.’

Rhys heard that in the past.  He heard that Jack was called a freak, Wrong, Impossible and while Jack was a grown man (technically, he was old enough to be Rhys’ great-great grandfather), he was still Rhys’ friend, and if he ever encountered these people who called his friend names, he’d have a few things to say to them!  Owen added softly, “We need to wait until Ianto and Esther get here, especially with the newest developments.”  Newest developments?  Owen and Suzie exchanged a look, and Rhys had the uneasy sensation that they were speaking without words.

At last, Suzie said a bit reluctantly, “We shouldn’t be telling you this, because it’s really not for us to tell … but it’s something you should know, especially under the circumstances.  Esther is five weeks pregnant.”  The first thought that crossed Rhys’ mind was, ‘ _gotta keep her away from these bastards_.’  The second thought was, ‘ _I wonder who the father is_?’  And finally, ‘ _never mind, we have other things to worry about_.’  Suzie continued, “Jack headed into the deeper parts of the Hub … part to give us more time to escape, but also to make it harder for them to find him.  We made sure the guests were released, but we need to get back as soon as possible.”

Alice nodded and ruffled her son’s hair as he continued to cling to Owen.  At last, she said, “All right.  At the very least, I think we all should eat.”  Suzie inhaled, as if to protest, but Alice raised a hand, adding, “When Rhys and I got here, he had Steven help him put together a food tray.  It’s nothing heavy, just finger foods, but Dad would be the first to tell you that we need to keep up our strength.  I refuse to let him down because I get to feeling dizzy.  March.”  Suzie closed her mouth with a snap, glowering at Alice … but she moved when Rhys moved, leading her into the kitchen.  Alice trailed along behind with Owen and Steven.

None of them spoke much as they ate.  Anwen played with her food as much as she ate it, offering up the rag doll Jack gave her to Suzie, just as she did with Rhys earlier.  Suzie accepted the doll, though she blinked back tears and hugged their toddler a little closer, kissing the top of her head.  But it was Steven who ended up breaking the silence, whispering, “I hate them.  I hate them so much.  I hate _them_ for hurting Uncle Jack, and I hate **them** for coming here.”  He inclined his head upward, indicating the 456.

Alice looked like she wasn’t sure what to say.  Rhys could relate. You wanted to tell your kids that they shouldn’t hate, not because it hurt the people they hated, but because it hurt them.  But … an explosive was put inside a man, a man who couldn’t stay dead … and that man was this boy’s grandfather.  Rhys wanted to ask Suzie if she thought Jack was still conscious when the bomb tore him apart, but couldn’t bring himself to ask.  Not in front of Jack’s daughter … not in front of Jack’s grandson.  Not in front of their daughter.

And the 456 … well, that was another thing.  Part of Rhys wanted to tell him that they didn’t know enough about the 456, that maybe there was a reason they were doing this.  But the stronger part, the father and the husband and the friend?  That part of him didn’t care.  He didn’t care at all.  And so, he kissed his wife’s hair and his daughter’s forehead, and merely ruffled Steven’s hair.  He exchanged another helpless look with Alice, who was torn between the rage at the attack against her family and her desire to blunt her son’s rage.  So, maybe he really shouldn’t have been surprised by who ended up taking the lead in this situation.

“Not gonna tell you that you shouldn’t hate, kidlet.  Don’t have the right.  Especially since I hate them just as much as you do, maybe even more,” Owen said quietly, putting down the sandwich he was eating.  Steven looked at his mother’s boyfriend (?), eyes wide, and Owen continued, “What I can tell you is that your grandfather’s gonna come back, and at the risk of your mum smacking me into next week, he’s gonna be madder ‘n hell.  Not because they hurt him, but because they threatened us.  I can tell you not to let the hatred and the anger rule you.  Don’t give a shite about them, but you … I don’t want you to be like me, Steven.  I don’t want you so lost that you won’t let yourself care about people because you don’t wanna get hurt.  ‘Cause you _will_ be hurt, Steven.  I lost Toshiko to your uncle Gray because I couldn’t let her in.  Don’t be like me, kid … be like your grandfather.”

Rhys was on the verge of saying something when Owen shot him a filthy look, adding, “And if you _ever_ tell Jack that I said any of that, I’ll not only flatly deny it, but find a way to sabotage every damn lorry in your fleet.”  That made everyone laugh (as it was probably meant to), and Owen continued, “So, Tea-Boy and Yank Girl are at the way station, to throw the pillocks off.  Anyone have any idea how long it’ll take Jack to …”  He made a vague gesture with his hand, before continuing, “To heal from this?”

“He was dead from Abaddon for three days,” Suzie said bluntly, causing both Owen and Alice to flinch and Steven’s shoulders to slump.  Suzie looked at the boy, adding contritely, “I’m sorry, Steven, I didn’t mean to make you feel badly.  None of that was your fault.  Honestly, I don’t think any of us know how long it’s going to take Jack to recover from this.  He was blown up, rather than having his life force sucked out of him, so it could be a few hours … it could be a week.  And without someone there to monitor the situation …”

“But we can’t monitor the situation without tipping these people off,” Alice put in and Owen nodded, looking very, very unhappy.  Alice added softly, “They want Dad out of the way, they want to contain him because they think his immortality is tied to the Rift.  They had to have been planning this for a while, and the 456 gave them the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.  We’re fighting each other when we should be fighting the monsters who want our children.”  That pretty much summed it up.

“Oh … I think I could help with that,” a somewhat familiar voice said and as one, everyone turned.  Rhys gaped, because not only did no one hear the door open, but standing there in the safe house between Esther and Ianto was the former prime minister of Great Britain, Harriet Jones!  Standing on the other side was the equally formidable Francine Jones.  The ousted prime minister smiled slowly, adding, “Come, Torchwood … we have work to do!”

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 

Well, that was … unexpected.

Suzie Costello Williams learned within the first week of joining to expect the unexpected.  That was even before she discovered that her drop-dead gorgeous boss was, for all intents and purposes, immortal.  And, to her delight, Torchwood didn’t just get the shitty things.  She would have never met her wonderful husband, if it weren’t for Torchwood, and the institute’s close relationship with the Queen allowed her and Rhys to adopt Anwen.  So, she could be, perhaps, forgiven to think that at this point, nothing could surprise her.

She would, however, have been wrong.  Very, very wrong.  Because she was beyond surprised to   find Harriet Jones standing in their safe house, side by side (more or less) with Francine Jones.  The former Prime Minister smiled softly at their obvious surprise, saying, “I can’t do Torchwood’s job for them.  But I do have the backing of the Queen to … act as a diversion for you to do that job.  These individuals who have attacked Torchwood?  They’ve forgotten one key factor … Torchwood is backed by the Queen herself.  To act against your institute while you’re trying to do your job and keep this nation, this world safe?  That is an act against the Queen, and Her Majesty will not take that lightly.”

“It’s best that you don’t ask what Harriet and I have planned.  The less you know about our planned diversion, the better.  Just be ready to extract Jack … that is the correct word, isn’t it?  Extracted?  Regardless, we already know we won’t get any assistance from the Doctor,” Francine put in, and it was clear that she wasn’t in the least bit surprised.  Martha’s mother continued, “Tish isn’t in Cardiff, otherwise she’d help.  As soon as the children started speaking in unison, Harriet called me.  She didn’t know what it meant, exactly, but she knew that it meant trouble.  We both did, and took a train down to Cardiff together.”

“Give us about three hours and then come to the Millennium Center.  If there’s one thing that works in our favor, it’s bureaucracy.  Her Majesty was _most_ displeased that the attack against Torchwood proceeded,” Harriet added, and Suzie was caught between a giggle and a choke, because of the sudden image she had of Harriet chastising their enemies as if they were recalcitrant little boys (and girls).  Rather than look offended, the former Prime Minister smiled a bit at Suzie’s expression.

“We don’t know the whole story, although Esther and Ianto told us a bit, and Jack told us more.  But we know enough.  Whatever happened in Jack’s dreams … it won’t happen this time.  And now, young lady … you need to get some rest,” Francine concluded, turning a ‘mother’ stare onto Esther.  The blonde girl blushed but nodded, and Francine added, “You, too, Ianto.  You both have been through a terrible ordeal, you both need to rest and you need each other.”  The two looked at each other, and then Ianto wrapped a protective arm around Esther’s shoulders, leading her out of the kitchen.  Rhys was on his feet instantly, guiding the pair to an unclaimed bedroom.  As he passed, Suzie mouthed, ‘ _I love you_ ,’ still cradling Anwen against her chest.  He smiled and pecked her on the cheek.  Francine raised her eyebrows, adding, “That means everyone, by the way.  You all need to rest.”

Suzie, Owen, and Alice looked at each other, and Francine added, “I will not take no for an answer.  You need to rest.  All of you.  If you don’t fall asleep, that’s fine … if you do, I’ll wake you. I promise.”  The three looked at each other.  Francine said gently, “I know you’re worried about Jack.  But if you want to stand at his side, you need to take care of yourselves.”  She was right.  Suzie knew she was right, and she hadn’t seen her daughter in days … hadn’t held Anwen tightly and listened to her trying to form words.  She hadn’t snuggled against her husband and listen to him breathe or whisper about things that happened at work today.  Suzie looked at Alice and Owen and bobbed her head.  Harriet smiled and very generously didn’t shoo them out of the kitchen.  Then again, it wasn’t necessary.

She met Rhys gently closing the door behind Esther and Ianto, and his face warmed at the sight of her and Anwen.  Neither of them spoke.  He just wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her into a room, took Anwen gently from her to place her on the bed, and then knelt before her, removing her shoes from her feet.  Suzie shifted her attention back and forth between her husband as he worked and her daughter as she cooed and kicked her own little feet, giggling. 

Once Suzie’s feet were bare of all save her stockings, Rhys took up position beside Suzie and Anwen on the bed.  Suzie inhaled sharply as Rhys held them both close.  He brushed a light kiss to the nape of her neck, murmuring, “I have you, cariad.  I have you both, and I’m not letting go.”  Suzie merely tightened her grip on his wrist.  She didn’t tell him that she wasn’t just thinking about Jack, and the narrow escape they just had … no, she was also thinking about the other Suzie, who became lost to the Glove and to her own humanity.  She was thinking about the Suzie, who didn’t have Rhys Williams as her husband or Anwen as her daughter.

And she felt sorry for that Suzie.  Because Rhys, and Anwen?  They made all the hell she went through worth it.  She still couldn’t forgive her father, especially not after they adopted Anwen.  Truly, it was hard enough for Suzie to discipline her little girl, but even think of hurting her?  Truly hurting her?  Suzie shuddered.  Rhys’ arm tightened around her, and whispered, “I know you’re not thinking about Jack right now, although you have been.  You’re frightened right now, not angry.  What you are thinking about, sweet girl?”

Sweet girl.  Rhys was the only person who would have ever dreamed of calling her that.  And he meant it.  He meant every word.  She whispered back, “I … I was wondering if I take care of you nearly as well as you take care of me.  Before the kids started speaking in unison.  I don’t think I do.  You take such good care of me, and of us, and …  God, Rhys.  You and Anwen are the greatest blessings I can imagine.  But that’s not what I was thinking about just now.  I was thinking about my father.  And I was thinking about how hard it is for me to just discipline Anwen, much less ever hurt her.  And then I thought about … about what I would do if anyone ever hurt her, the way my father hurt me.  I’d destroy them, Rhys.  I’d destroy them, and not lose an hour of sleep over it.  And I was thinking just how lucky I am to have.  Nothing can make up for what happened to me when I was a kid.  Nothing in the world.  But you, and Anwen?  You smooth away the rough edges.”

“You take good care of me, Susana Costello Williams, and I don’t want you to ever think otherwise.  Who was it that brought Christmas cookies to the office this past year, for the entire staff?” Rhys reminded and Suzie allowed herself a tiny smile.  She pointed out to her husband that those were store-bought cookies, not ones that she made, and Rhys countered, “Doesn’t matter.  And Ruth is still raving about the gift set you got her for taking care of me while I was at work.  I was informed that not only was my wife gorgeous, but she had good taste in cookies.”  Suzie snorted at that, and Rhys continued, “It doesn’t matter that you take care of me the same way I take care of you … what matters is that you take care of me in your own way.”

She couldn’t see his face, but she could hear his smile in his voice and she whispered, “I love you.  I love you so very much.  I … I keep thinking about that other Suzie, the one who never had the chance to love you or be a mother to Anwen.  And I feel so sorry for her, Rhys.  She didn’t trust Jack, she didn’t love you … and she missed out on so much.  She chose that damned Glove over everything.”  Rhys didn’t say anything, and Suzie wondered if Rhys heard what she didn’t say.  It wouldn’t surprise her.  Rhys often heard between the lines.

“But she _isn’t_ real, Suzie.  She isn’t real and you _are_.  You’re the one I fell in love with, and I’ll never regret it.  Torchwood scares the hell out of me sometimes, but you’re worth it.  You’ll always be worth it,” he told her.  Suzie bit her lip.  And whatever she would have said was lost as the door slowly creaked open.  The time of respite was over.  Suzie would put away the wife and the mother, because right now, the assistant director of Torchwood was needed.  She knew that even before Owen told her that he’d heard from Harriet Jones, and they had a two hour window to get Jack.  Rhys kissed the nape of her neck, murmuring, “Go get that captain of yours, Suzie.  Anwen and I, we’ll be here waiting for you, and Anwen can give her dolly to Jack to comfort him.”  Suzie bit back a giggle because that was exactly what her little girl would do.  Dogs gave kisses/licks to comfort their humans, and Anwen gave her doll.  Suzie sat up, kissing first her daughter, and then her husband.  She slid her shoes back on, before joining Owen at the door.

To his credit, Owen never made a snarky remark, and once they joined the others in the main part of the house, Suzie was a bit surprised to see Esther standing at Ianto’s side.  But she said nothing, instead telling the rest of her team, “Let’s go.  I don’t intend to misuse this distraction or diversion that Harriet and Francine have planned.”  They still didn’t know what the two women had done, and Suzie wasn’t sure if it mattered.  Alice paused long enough to kiss her son, who was sleeping on the sofa, and then she nodded to the others.  This time, though, it was Suzie who rode behind Ianto on the motorcycle, while Esther rode with Alice and Owen. 

The Plas was deserted when they reached their destination, and Suzie’s mobile beeped with a text from Harriet.  ‘ _Go to the tunnels_.’  The small group looked at each other, before shrugging and following the texted instructions.  About an hour after the first text came, telling them that the coast was clear, they found the tunnel in question and Harriet said softly, “Careful.  She’s been protecting him ever since I’ve been here.”  She?   One of the shadows behind Harriet moved and Suzie inhaled sharply.  The older woman murmured, “It turns out that there wasn’t as much of a necessity for a diversion as we thought.  She was down here, protecting him from our earth-bound enemies.”

Now Suzie could see which ‘she’ Harriet meant.  The shadows shifted once more and Janet emerged, whining at them softly.  Now, all five looked at the ground near the Weevil’s feet … to find the naked body of their boss.  But Janet didn’t move.  It was almost as if she was waiting for something, or someone.  Esther breathed, “Jack!  She … she stayed?  She kept them away from Jack?”  Janet’s head drew back and she sniffed at the air.  She gave another low keen, then with a gentleness Suzie never would have expected from the Weevil, scooped Jack into her arms and lumbered forward.

Esther and Ianto met her halfway, Esther easily slipping past Alice’s restraining hand.  The American girl told Janet, “I don’t know if you understand me.  But thank you.  Thank you so much for taking care of him.  Thank you for protecting him from the ones who killed him.  We’ll… we’ll take it from here.  But we’ll be back for you, Janet.  I promise.”  As Janet relinquished Jack into Ianto and Owen’s waiting arms, the Weevil lightly touched Esther’s face with the smooth side of her claws … and then repeated the gesture on her abdomen.  Suzie’s mind reeled.  She knew.  Janet knew Esther was pregnant!  The younger woman smiled, saying, “Yes.  I’m going to have a baby.  I’ll take care of my son or daughter, too.” 

That was good enough for Janet, it seemed, for she gave one last keen, before being swallowed up by the shadows.  Owen breathed as he pulled a blanket around Jack’s bare shoulders, “I’ve seen a lot of weird shit since I joined Torchwood, but I think that qualifies the weirdest of all.  C’mon.  We don’t have a lot of time, and if you think we’re leaving you here, Miss Jones, you’re out of your mind!”  Harriet inclined her head to Owen with a small smile, as he and Ianto carried Jack to the waiting care.  Suzie knew this wasn’t over.  There was far too much work to do.  But as she followed Ianto to the waiting cycle, she couldn’t help but think that while Torchwood had lost a few battles, they would win the war.

 

TBC


	8. Expectations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Alice tries to reassure Esther; Jack is loopy; while another attack is launched against Torchwood in a much more insidious manner. We should see the return of Gray and Tosh, et al, in the next chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I humbly apologize for the extremely evil cliffhanger. I didn’t actually want to leave it there, but I was informed that was where it would end. I don’t argue with Francine any more than I argue with Suzie or Jack. It is my sincerest hope that I have at least one more chapter done by the time I return to work on Thursday, but I’m not making any promises … I know better than that. The possibility that I’ll have the next one up by next Monday is much stronger.

Jack slept most of the way back to the safe house, his head resting in Esther’s lap, while Alice glanced back every few minutes, worried sick about her father.   Harriet Jones said softly, “He’ll be all right, Melissa.   When Francine and I reached the Plas, we could hear the screams of whoever attacked the Hub.”  So … they followed the screams?  Harriet smiled gently, saying, “Yes, Melissa.  We followed the screams.  As soon as we realized what was happening, Francine left to move our car, while I contacted you lot.”

“So … Janet stayed.  And she protected Jack.  Suzie told me that she took the uni-tran when she freed the Weevils, but I … Janet stayed,” Esther said, shaking her head.  Alice could relate.  In all the scenarios that she imagined after learning that some things were the same as Jack’s dreams, that was … unexpected.  Her father mumbled something and Esther caressed his hair, whispering, “Sleep, Jack, you’re safe.  We have you and you’re safe.”  He quieted and a spike of jealousy drew Alice’s eyes away.  But why would she be jealous?  That was ridiculous, especially since her father wouldn’t let her out of his sight when Gray brought him back.

It took Alice a moment to figure out what was the source of her jealousy … she was letting her mother’s bitterness poison her again.  Alice felt sick, because once she realized how often her mother lied … once she heard her father’s side of the story, she promised herself that she wouldn’t let her mother poison her relationship with her father ever again.  Her mother hadn’t just been bitter that her father aged slowly (if at all) … she’d been bitter when she thought about the men and women Jack would love, long after Lucia was gone.   She looked back into the back seat once more to reassure herself that her father was truly there and safe, but as she looked away from her father and Esther, Alice found herself looking into Harriet’s eyes.  There was a knowing compassion in the older woman’s eyes, and Alice looked away once more.

“Melissa, the only shame is realizing that you’re wrong and not changing,” Harriet said simply.  Esther looked up, looking back and forth between the two older women, and Harriet offered the young blonde a gentle smile, adding, “Everything’s fine, dear.  Just take care of this lovely man, yourself, and that baby you’re carrying.  Those are your greatest responsibilities at the moment.”  Esther stared at Harriet for several moments, before nodding slowly and returning her attention to Alice’s father.  Her face softened and Alice’s heart turned over as she watched over them both.  For the first time, she realized that just as her father and Ianto had their masks, Esther had her own … and you could only notice the difference if you were paying attention.  Evidently, she hadn’t been paying close enough attention recently to notice that Esther even had masks.

“Ishtar, did I ‘magine Janet?” Alice’s still-recovering father question slurred out.  _Wait, what?  Ishtar_?  Alice blinked, wondering if she heard her father right.  However, based on the way Esther was blushing and looking around at them a bit sheepishly, it seemed likely.  Her father continued, sounding more than a little bit loopy, “Big boom.  Hurt.  Hurt a lot.  Saw Janet.”   Alice watched with fascination as Esther’s sheepish smile turned affectionate.  She pushed the question of Esther’s masks to the back of her mind, because she would worry about that later.  However, she still wanted to hear the story behind the ‘Ishtar’ nickname.

“She was there, Jack.  She was there, and she watched over you until we could get to you,” Esther soothed, stroking her fingers through Jack’s dark hair.  There was a contented sigh, and the girl continued, making her voice even softer, “Rest now, love.  Just rest.”  Esther closed her eyes and relaxed against her seat, but not before Alice saw the tears in her eyes.  Alice really couldn’t blame her.  Even with the downtime they received, they’d all been through a rough time.  Alice tried to imagine what her father went through when that bomb tore him apart, and shuddered because God, how could you even _do_ that to a human being?  Just how did you justify something like that?  Even when she was stupid and resented her father for something he couldn’t control, she would have _never_ done something like that.  There was no doubt in Alice’s mind that just like in her father’s coma dreams, the people who planted that bomb in him were perfectly willing to drown him in concrete.  Her fingers tightened around each other as a wave of protective fury threatened to drown her.

But she re-focused her attention on something she could control, saying, “Don’t think you’ve gotten out of explaining ‘Ishtar,’ young lady.”  She was rewarded with a faint blush and sheepish grin, and Alice continued more seriously, “I know you’re worried about being a mother.  I’d worry about you if you didn’t.  But you’ll be fine.  I know you’ll be fine.”  Esther looked out the window, fingers constantly in motion, and Alice waited patiently.  She was still coming to terms that she would have a younger brother or younger sister in another seven and a half months … Alice couldn’t imagine how Esther was dealing with the knowledge that she was going to be a mother, much less under these circumstances.  Strangely enough, it never occurred to her to question whether or not Esther would keep the baby.  She just knew that she would.

“I don’t know how you can be so sure of that, Alice.  Jack had to remind me that this little one is depending on me, that I have to think about the baby … have to think like a mother, rather than an agent,” Esther answered.  Alice very carefully didn’t smile.  She wanted to.  Lord, how she wanted to.  But she didn’t, because Esther was genuinely worried.  And really, she had every reason in the world to worry … about being a good mother, about whether she would do right by her child.  Not because she wouldn’t be a good mother, but because those fears were completely normal.  One of those rare times when ‘normal’ really was.

She answered at last, “Of course he did, honey.  You’d only learned a few minutes earlier about Peanut.  Do you really expect yourself to be thinking like a mother immediately?”  Of course she did.  Even if she hadn’t been looking at Esther’s face, Alice would have realized it.  She didn’t allow herself the eye roll she wanted, because she wasn’t really annoyed with Esther.  Instead, she said, “Not long after I connected with Suzie and reconnected with Dad, I found one of the few people who were in Torchwood when I was born … well, the ones who were still alive.  I was lamenting to him how much my mother lied to me about, and do you know what he told me?”  Esther looked wary, but shook her head slowly, as if she was half-afraid of what Alice would say.  Alice didn’t blame her.

“He said that my mum didn’t want to be pregnant, because she’d get fat and Dad wouldn’t want her anymore,” the older woman said and Esther’s jaw actually dropped.  Harriet looked just as stunned.  She’d never married, Alice remembered, but took care of her mother.  It was a pity, because she thought Harriet would have made a wonderful mum.  Alice shook her head, smiling faintly, saying, “Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.  Giles told me that Dad couldn’t keep his hands off Mum as her pregnancy advanced.  And I know Mum loved me, but my point is, you think the fact that you weren’t thinking as a mother immediately will make you a bad mum.  That’s not necessarily the case.”

She paused as Esther mulled this over, before adding almost off-handedly, “Besides, I happen to know that while Dad did keep his hands to himself while you looked pregnant, he couldn’t take his eyes off you.”  She was rewarded with a distinctly rosy blush coloring the younger woman’s cheeks and Alice turned back in her seat, smiling to herself.  She was only telling the truth, after all.  She saw the way her father (and Ianto) looked at Esther during the Nostrovite situation … ‘hungry eyes’ didn’t even come close.

“Too much information, luv,” Owen muttered beside her, and Alice merely smirked at him impishly.  Owen rolled his eyes and said, “Check your mobile, see if Francine has texted us.  I don’t want to head back to the safe house if she’s in trouble.”  Alice sobered immediately and withdrew her mobile from an inside coat pocket.  After everything Francine Jones did for them, she didn’t want that, either.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

He lay with his head in Esther’s lap, soothed by her fingers stroking through his hair.  They’d done it a thousand times before.  Of course, in the past, he wasn’t recovering from being torn apart by a bomb.  Not something he particularly wanted to try again.  As in, ever.  Jack dozed lightly, comforted by the sound of his daughter and Esther’s voices.  He wasn’t entirely surprised that Esther was worried she wouldn’t be a good mother … all right, he wasn’t surprised at all.  He would have really been more surprised if Esther _wasn’t_ having fears like that.

They went through something similar with Tosh when she learned that she was pregnant with Devin.  She never really gave any thought to being a mother … or a wife, come to that, but as Suzie observed as she cuddled Anwen close, being a mother was a whole new level of scary.  To which Gray added emphatically that being a parent, period, was scary.  No one could argue with that and no one even tried.  Jack was still a bit surprised that Suzie made it through the early months as Anwen’s mother without a freak-out.  Then again, maybe she had one in Rhys’ arms and just never told him about it.  That was far more likely and more than okay.  Really.  It _was_!

His mind drifted to Steven and whether they told his grandson that he would … Jack frowned a bit as he worked out what the new baby would be to Steven if it was his.  Cousin?  No.  No, he would be the baby’s nephew, because … oh, this was making his head hurt even worse!  Instead, he focused for a few minutes on Esther’s fingers, those lovely magical fingers of hers.  She and Ianto both had magic fingers when they needed to.  Better.  Much better.  The dull ache that kept bouncing back and forth between the base of his skull and concentrating in his temples began to ease.  Did he want this child to be his?  Of course he did.  He also wanted this child to be Ianto’s.  That would be nice … if the child was biologically his, Ianto’s and Esther’s.  That wasn’t possible.  Not yet.  And he wondered … he wondered why he hadn’t noticed the change in Esther’s pheromones with her pregnancy.  On the other hand, he had been terribly distracted for the last few weeks.

Maybe the baby should have Ianto’s last name, regardless of who the bio-father was.  Not just for Ianto’s sake, but for the baby’s.  Much as he hated to admit it, Lucia had a point.  Being his daughter was hazardous to Alice’s continuing existence, just as it was hazardous to Steven’s continuing existence.  Gray, Tosh, Owen, Ianto and Esther too.  Alice said softly, “We’re safer with you, Dad.  That was true when I was a little girl, and it’s true now.  Although I think it might not be a bad idea for the baby to have the surname of ‘Jones.’  Hush, you … or do you I need to remind you that Dad used your name more than once?”

That drew a strangled noise from Owen, and Jack wondered a bit distantly when he started speaking loud enough for the others to hear him.  Harriet said softly, “We’re almost to the safe house now.  Focus on that, and on getting Jack inside if Ianto and Suzie aren’t already there.”  Jack would have protested that he could get himself inside, but the truth was, he wasn’t sure if his legs would cooperate.  And the gods knew it was better than being drowned in concrete.  For the second time in the last ten minutes, it seemed he spoke aloud when he believed he was just thinking, because Harriet added sternly, “And _no one_ will be drowned in concrete, much less _you_!  I _won’t_ permit it!”

When she said it like that, Jack believed it completely and totally, without question.  She wouldn’t permit, she wouldn’t let it happen, and that was that.  He was vaguely aware that the Doctor probably wouldn’t be pleased with him, but he wasn’t here, was he?  Jack started to sit up, but the world started spinning faster and he re-settled his head back into Esther’s lap.  Harriet continued gently, “Right now, my dear Jack, the only thing you need to do is rest.”  Rest.  Yeah, he could do that.  Once more, Esther began stroking his hair and the nape of his neck, taking the dizziness and the throbbing away.  Harriet continued in a soft voice as she slid her own fingers around his, gently stroking his knuckles, “For once, let us take care of you.  You think we don’t know about what you do, how you look after Donna Noble and her family?  You think I didn’t know about Flat Holm?  Oh, my dear boy … you really can be a fool, if you think _that_.”

Well, yes, but Jack thought she already knew that.  It was sort of on the list of Things You Needed to Know to Survive Torchwood, along with Owen Has His Own Way of Showing Concern, Ianto Looks Impossibly Hot in Suits, Suzie is Terrifying When She’s In Mother Hen Mode, and When Esther Smiles A Particular Way, It’s Time To Run Fast.  There were others, but considering he was blown up just a few hours ago and woke up to the sight of a Weevil standing guard over him, he thought he could be forgiven for not remembering them.

Esther said quietly (and he could hear the gentle smile in her voice), “You should have seen his shock when I kissed him after finding out about Flat Holm.  He was stunned when he realized that I was proud of him for what he did for those people.”  That was because people reacted badly when they learned about Flat Holm, and how the Rift survivors couldn’t always reunite with their families … for both of their sakes.  Or … was that one of his semi-false memories, rising to the surface?  The two worlds tended to blur together when he was newly revived. 

“I suppose we took what Jack did for granted, when we found out about Flat Holm.  Ianto and Esther, though … they found out what things were like before Jack created Flat Holm, how it was for the Rift refugees who couldn’t be assimilated back into society.  That’s when the final piece of the puzzle fell into place, after the Pierce case,” Owen observed.  Oh.  Yes.  Now he remembered.  There was a day, not long after Alice, Owen and Tosh stopped speaking to him because of the choice he had to make to save the world … a day when the three of them disappeared, along with Ianto and Suzie.  He spent the day catching up on his paperwork, before spending some time with Myf.

“Yes, the way I hear it, Ianto and Suzie spent nearly as much time not speaking to you three as you did not speaking to Jack,” Harriet said mildly.  There was a note of steel underlying the mildness.  Steel in velvet.  Someone else said that about someone else, and Jack was finding it too hard to focus to remember whom that someone else.  And now, he was starting to confuse himself even more, which was quite the accomplishment at the moment.  He was distracted from metaphorically chasing his tail when Owen cleared his throat.

“Yes, well … I behaved like a prat.  So did Tosh, so did you, luv.  I don’t know why they did it, but I was jealous.  Jealous of a little kid, which is sodding pathetic when you think about it.  I was never really mad at Jack, I was mad at myself for being so pathetic and at the faeries from being what they were, at the whole situation.  Unfortunately, when I’m mad at myself, I take it out on everyone else,” he replied.  There was a long silence, and then he added softly, “That’s one reason I lost Tosh.”

There was a brief, uncomfortable silence in the car (likely because no one knew what to say in response and that included Jack) before Alice asked Harriet curiously, “If that … thing you used against the Sycorax … if that wasn’t lost when Torchwood One fell … would you use it against the 456?”  That’s something that Jack tried not to think about.  In part because if he did … well.  Talk about deux ex machina.  He couldn’t get that lucky.  And if he did, he’d be wondering what kind of payment would be extracted.  If there was one thing Jack Harkness learned in his extremely long life, it was that such things never came without a price, and that price was often steep.  Sometimes even painfully steep.  He had only to think about the coma dreams and the decisions his other self had to make.

“I don’t know, Melissa,” was Harriet’s gentle response, “mainly because I don’t know if it would do any good against these creatures.  I wouldn’t want to run the risk of causing even greater damage.”  That was wise, and Jack would have said so, but he was slowly drifting back to sleep, thanks as much to the former PM gently rubbing his hands as Esther’s caresses.  They had things under control, though it was a close thing.  Jack allowed himself to relax, trusting in his team, in his friends, in his family, to keep him safe.  And … to keep each other safe.

Or, at least, as safe as anyone in or affiliated _with_ Torchwood _could_ be.

 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 

While Harriet Jones was leading Torchwood to their fallen captain, Francine Jones was fulfilling the other part of their plan:  namely, contacting a particular individual in the United States.  As soon as they learned that Jack was blown up (and there would be a reckoning for that … Francine was absolutely determined to see that happen), the phone call was made and arrangements were made.  She knew from her conversation with Harriet that everyone was on their way back to the safe house … which meant she had time for one last volley against their common enemy.  Well … at least, their earthbound one.

They attacked her son.  Oh, Francine knew that Jack Harkness was old enough to be her grandfather, if not her great-grandfather, but he became her son on the Valiant, every time he distracted the Master from hurting her or Tish or Clive.  He became her son the moment he put his Vortex Manipulator on Martha, so she could escape to carry out the Doctor’s ‘plan.’  He was family.  There was only so much she could do … but she could buy the rest of her family time, time she would also use to secure her own escape.  There was no doubt in her mind that their earthbound enemies would attempt to use her, just as they used Alice in Jack’s dreams.  She wasn’t willing to trust the Doctor (in any incarnation) to protect her.

So, instead, she used the weapons she had available to her.  While Martha wasn’t available to join her in Cardiff, Francine made sure that both she and Tish knew where she would be.  And, if she wasn’t home by a particular time, Clive already told her that both he and Leo would come find her (after they contacted Gray and Toshiko).  Meanwhile, she pretended to have conversations on phones with a dead line in places where people couldn’t help but overhear.  She spoke of people attacking Torchwood, adding, ‘ _oh, I know, they swan in and take over, but you know they did more to protect this city when that sodding terrorist was trying to blow up Cardiff and when those murderous pepperpots showed up than the police did_.’  

That last comment earned her a dirty look from Detective Kathy Swanson when she passed the other woman, but Francine merely offered her the sweetest smile she had.  Unlike Suzie, she didn’t hate the detective … she just didn’t have a lot of use for her.  That being said, she understood Suzie’s contempt for the detective … for the police in general.  She didn’t necessarily approve of it, but she understood it.  While many of Suzie’s sharper angles were smoothed by her marriage to Rhys and their adoption of Anwen, some of the wounded, bitter little girl remained. 

She was nearly back to her car when her mobile rang, and a quick glance at it told her that their American contact was returning their call.  That was good.  Francine had concerns about their message being relayed.  However, she needed to get out of the area before she could focus on a conversation with him.  A quick glance around the car and in it told her that she was clear … she parked in the most open part of the car park that she could find, where she couldn’t be taken by surprise by people appearing out of alleys.  If they were that determined to get her, they would … but there was nothing saying she had to make it easy for them.

Francine started the engine, still careful to keep an eye out for anyone who decided to dodge in front of her and keep her from pulling out, and then got on the road.  She already decided to take the scenic route to the safe house (as Jack would have said).  Living under the Master’s thumb for a year taught her the wisdom of keeping her eyes open and her head down.  And, in truth, there were many times when she wished she ignored the Doctor and shot that bastard, rather than leaving it to his wife.  She hadn’t forgiven the Master and it was unlikely she ever would. Francine was well aware that she was hurting herself, rather than him, but there were some wounds that were too deep to forgive.  She was having a hard enough time forgiving herself, for not protecting her children better.

Well.  That was neither here nor there, and right now, she had a job to complete.  The rest of her family was depending on her.  That included Clive, who was slowly edging his way back to her.  After she made it a comfortable distance away, Francine pulled over, parking alongside a café.  Once she was assured that there were plenty of people around and that she wasn’t obstructing traffic, Francine checked her mobile.  She thought she heard the ‘ding’ of an incoming text while she was driving.  And she did.  But it wasn’t good news.

There was a text that made her blood run cold.  Strange, wasn’t it … you would think that it would take a rant or a tirade to bring your anger surging forth.  Not necessarily.  ‘ _You only **think** you’re clever_.’  Francine swallowed hard, as much to push down the rage as the fear.  And she was angry.  God, she was so very angry!  The message from their American contact could wait.  There was a message that needed to be sent, right now.  Francine closed her eyes and counted to ten, just as she did when Leo, Martha and Tish were children and dancing the waltz on her last nerve.  When she had her temper under control, she began to type.

‘ _I don’t think I’m clever.  I think I’m a woman protecting her family, a family you’re trying to harm.  You, on the other hand, are a fool.  You’re a fool if you think this will end well for you, in any way, shape, or form.  I would say continue being a fool, but I fear if you do that, more of your men will die in the dark … and they might take innocents with them.  Not that you care about that.  I think that you’re a fool and that you’re my enemy_.’  It took several moments to key the words, but any police officers who might have chastened her about loitering evidently noticed that she was using her mobile.

After she hit ‘send,’ she decided this was a good time to check her voice mail.  As she thought, her American contact was calling back to confirm their plans.  She smiled to herself … a smile that died when a text appeared on her phone.  It was a simple message, very short.  ‘ _Then you will burn_.’  Only four words … four words that Francine wasn’t willing to play with.  Especially not after what these people did to Jack.  More to the point, she wasn’t willing to take the chance that they weren’t speaking literally and her options were limited.  Her mobile hadn’t left her person … however, her car was another story.  Her car was left in an open space.  An open space where she couldn’t be taken by surprise, but an open space where anyone had access to her car. Francine swallowed hard and tried to make a decision.  Did she try to drive away, take the car to another open area? Was she willing to take that chance with the lives of innocent people? 

She wasn’t an operative.  She wasn’t an agent.  She was just an ordinary woman who survived extraordinary circumstances once before (and raised a truly extraordinary woman).  But she wasn’t trained in what she should do in situations like this.  Francine made a decision, praying that it was the right one.  It was probably the wrong one, but the only thing she knew for sure was that she didn’t have the skills to handle this on her own.  She turned off the engine and hurried into the café.  Once inside, she looked around anxiously for someone, anyone, who looked familiar.  Her eyes landed on a young man, around the same age as her three younger children.  Steeling herself for the conversation and the resulting questions, she approached the young man, saying quietly, “Officer Davidson?  I’m Francine Jones.  I need your help.”

The young police officer raised his head, offering a polite smile as he replied, “Hullo, Mrs. Jones.  Harkness got you involved in his spooky-dos now?”  She offered a brittle smile in response and it seemed that was answer enough for Office Davidson (or was it Detective now?  She was dreadful at reading ranks).  His young face grew more serious and he rose to his feet, slipping his hand under her elbow as he asked, “What is it?”  With her free hand, Francine removed her mobile and handed it to the officer with the threatening text.  He accepted it, his eyes narrowing.  Waving a staff member down, he told the youngster to start evacuating the café … a terrorist threat had been made, and they weren’t taking any chances.  The boy hesitated only briefly, but then his eyes narrowed and he began quietly nudging people toward the back of the restaurant.  Andy murmured something about ‘could always tell a squaddie,’ before returning his attention to Francine and asked, “Where do you think it is?”

“My car.  I shouldn’t have parked it in front, I know that, but I pulled off to the side so I could check my voice mail.  That’s when I noticed the initial text.  I’ve been helping Jack with this situation, the children speaking in unison … I didn’t mean to put anyone else in danger,” Francine rambled, her nerves growing more and more jangled with every passing moment.  The ex-squaddie whom Andy initially sent to evacuate was heading next door (using the back exit that everyone else was using) to warn the businesses on either side.

“You didn’t create this situation, Mrs. Jones.  Yeah, this wasn’t the best place to park, but you didn’t know that.   And it could have been worse … you could have parked at a petrol station,” Andy pointed out quite reasonably.  Francine allowed herself a small quirk of her lips, which seemed to make Andy relax as well.  He patted her shoulder, saying, “’Sides, for all our bitching about Harkness and Torchwood, we found out the hard way when the planet moved that there are some things we can’t do.”  Someone from the kitchen shouted that the special ops team for explosives was on their way, and they wanted the building completely clear before they arrived.  Andy added, steering Francine toward that back exit, “And that sounds like our cue to leave.”

Francine walked briskly at his side, determinedly moving forward, despite her desire to look over her shoulder to see what was happening.  There was a part of her which scoffed.  She was just an ordinary woman, why would these thugs do anything to her?  But she wasn’t willing to take that chance.  After all, they were willing to take chances with the lives of ordinary people when they put that bomb in Jack.  They had no way of knowing he would immediately go back to the Hub (although she wasn’t surprised … if Jack even suspected there was an explosive inside him, he would protect those around him as best as he could).  It was sloppy, but they already proved that they didn’t care about anything except their objective.  And she, because she was siding with Jack, was an obstacle.  As they were approaching the back exit, there was a terrible roaring behind her … Andy swore and pushed her forward … and Francine gave into her impulse to look over her shoulder.  Her vision was filled with a blinding white glow and then utter darkness.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And in case I don't get to say it before Wednesday/Thursday, Happy New Year!


	9. 'This Is My Duty'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we have the ultimate head of Torchwood making her appearance (and addressing something that no one seems to ever mention); Jack, Ianto and Esther cuddling, and the aftermath of the explosion in the last chapter (but you knew that).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Initially, I planned to wait until the last few chapters to reveal what happened to Francine, but another character insisted that he get the last word, so to speak. So, in this chapter, we see what Francine’s fate will be. Two quick announcements before I get to the chapter summary. First, I can now announce that my six-month probation is over at work and they chose to keep me. Don’t know what’ll happen at the end of the fiscal year and the new budget is put into place, but I’ll worry about that then. Secondly, I’m off to MegaCon in ten days, my first con that isn’t DragonCon in nearly thirteen years. It’s also my first time in Orlando. Okay, ‘nuff of that. I received a suggestion about Janet taking more of a role, and I wanted to address that. I don’t know exactly what Janet will be doing, but there will be another encounter between her and Jack later on. Also, if you have a suggestion or an idea, feel free to tell me. I can’t promise that I’ll implement it, but at the very least, I’ll see if it works with what I have planned. And now, on with the chapter!

Undisclosed Location

London, England

Same Day

 

 

“There are reports of a second explosion rocking Cardiff.”

There was a slight quavering to his wife’s voice and Grayson Harkness closed his eyes, swallowing hard. However, he shoved his fears for his older brother to a neat box in the back of his mind labeled ‘Jack,’ mindful not only of their surroundings, but of the child in his arms. He learned the hard way that babies were extremely sensitive to the moods of others, and he wasn’t about to upset Devin. A quiet voice at his elbow observed, “I know this won’t help … but Jack has always landed on his feet, and he always will.” Gray turned slightly to face the speaker, a small woman in her eighties … and Devin’s honorary grandmother. She offered him a gentle smile, adding, “Now that I have finished stating the obvious, we have business to conduct.” 

Gray took a deep breath, released it, and then nodded. The diminutive woman smiled up at him, continuing, “Excellent. Toshiko, have you found the frequency yet that these monsters are using?” Tosh shook her head, refocusing her attention on what needed to be done. She wiped at her cheeks and their hostess went on, “I have absolute faith in you, my dear. Gray, why don’t put that beautiful child in the cot? I can watch over him while you assist Toshiko.” It was not a recommendation or a suggestion, but an order, one that Gray knew better than to ignore

He gently settled his sleeping son into the indicated cot, pausing just long enough to kiss Devin’s forehead, before taking a seat beside his wife. Tosh’s fingers flew across the keyboard, her face reflecting both her focus and her determination. Gray swallowed hard, feeling a fierce pride in his beautiful Toshiko. But there was something else weighing on his mind, something he wondered about ever since this nightmare began. He asked slowly, looking up at his hostess, “Why are you doing this? I know you care for my brother, but this is more … and less … than your affection for Jack.”

As soon as the words were out, he regretted them … and not just because his brother warned him about not underestimating this woman. She, however, merely smiled gently and replied, “You are quite correct, dear boy. Yes, part of the reason I’m doing this is my affection for Jack. I was incredibly infatuated with him when I was a very young girl, not much younger than that lovely girl Esther. But more importantly, I do this because it is my duty … it is my responsibility. I made a decision more than forty years ago, and now, other people are paying for the consequences of that decision. Was it the correct decision? At the time, I thought so. But other people are paying the price for my decision, and that is not acceptable.”

Oh. Oh, he never thought of that. She offered him a sad smile as she continued, “Your brother was so angry … with me and with everyone involved in the making of that decision. And he was right. I knew better. So did others. But what hurt more than anything was Jack’s sense that somehow, if he was alive, he could have influenced the decision. He could not. The decision was made, and if he was alive, he would have likely been one of the people chosen to take those children. The only thing that he could have done was refuse to take part, to keep his own hands clean. And we both know that is not who your brother is.”

As Esther would have said, she was firing on all cylinders. She offered him one last sad smile before Tosh said, “I have them on a secure line. Ianto … Suzie, how are things on your end?” Gray sat down beside his wife, cringing a little at how exhausted both of his teammates looked. He hadn’t seen Suzie look like that in … well, a long time. However, she smiled at them, a smile that was echoed by Ianto. Their hostess poked her head between Gray and Tosh, the latter of whom said, “We have company.”

Ianto inclined his head, answering, “So I see. Our thanks to you, your Majesty. We’ve recovered Jack … he’s resting right now, and Esther is watching over him. I … I need to tell you something before we go any further. Esther is pregnant, about five weeks along. Jack had to use some emotional blackmail to get her out of the Hub before he, and it, blew up.” Gray sat back, his heart racing. Part of him was thinking, ‘ _well, now is a helluva time to get pregnant_.’ However, he knew the same could be said of him and Tosh. The next thought was, ‘ _I wonder if it’s Jack or Ianto’s baby_.’

“You are quite welcome, Ianto. As to Esther, tell her to take care of herself and Jack, and she is not to do anything that puts herself or that child at risk,” their hostess instructed (because if Gray really thought about the Queen of England peering over his shoulder, his mind would stutter to a stop. And that?   That was something that they really, really didn’t need under the circumstances). Suzie blinked at the Queen of England telling her to make sure that their youngest member took care of herself and the baby, but didn’t comment on it.

Instead, she replied, “We’re seeing to it, your Majesty. Like Ianto said, she’s with Jack. As you’ve figured, we successfully rescued him, although we had very little to do with it. Janet was protecting him when we got there.” Janet? Janet the Weevil? She was protecting his big brother? Tosh turned to look at him and he saw the exact same surprise in her expression. Suzie continued, “Harriet is … I honestly don’t know. I’m really worried about Francine, though. She still hasn’t returned, and I just spoke with Martha. She hasn’t heard from her mother either.”

“Leave that to me, my dear. Give yourselves a day or so, get some rest while Jack recovers from the bomb that was placed inside him. Tell Harriet that she is to stay with you … she’s safer with you than anywhere else,” her Majesty instructed. Suzie bobbed her head obediently and the feed went blank. Gray was still processing everything he heard. That was when her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, completely and totally blew his mind by stating determined, “That’s quite enough. It was bad enough when they hurt Jack, but this is a step too far. Toshiko, my dear … please contact Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart. We have work to do.” And that, as they said, was that. They’d just pissed off the Queen of England. Bad move. _Very_ bad move.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

Getting blown up was being added to his top ten ways he didn’t want to die. Not just because it hurt like a bitch (because it sodding well did), but because it was taking entirely too much time for his mind to reboot, so to speak. However, right now, he didn’t have to think (except he did) … didn’t have to plan (lather, rinse, repeat) … didn’t have to be Captain Jack Harkness. He only had to rest in the protective circle of Esther’s arms as she slid her fingers through his hair and stroked down the nape of his neck.

He tried to avoid thinking about the other matter he learned about, only moments before he was torn apart, but that was much, much harder. Esther was pregnant. Esther was going to have a baby, and he was happy about it … he really was. Whether this baby was his or Ianto’s, it didn’t matter, because they were both this little one’s father. At least, that was Jack’s hope … that was how he was raised, but that wasn’t necessarily how Ianto or even Esther would see it. There was a soft brush of lips to the top of his head and Esther murmured, “Stop that. I can _hear_ you thinking. Whether it’s the situation with the children or this baby, we’ll figure it out. We always do. Sometimes, it’s by the seat of our pants, sometimes it’s even closer than that, but we’ll figure it out. Right now, you only need to relax.”

“Easier said than done, love,” Jack answered softly, turning his head to lightly kiss her breastbone. Esther hummed in approval, and Jack continued, “But I’ll try. What about you? Are you all right with this?” He wasn’t just talking about the pregnancy, although that was a lot of it. No, he was also asking about the entire situation. Esther was silent for several moments, although her fingers continued to caress his hair and spine. Jack knew better than to press her. Esther would tell him what she was thinking when she was ready and not a moment before. And if he tried to … coax … that information out of her before then, she’d make him pay. Dearly.

“You know, I think I am. I’m not happy about what went on before, but I wasn’t there at the time, and really, I don’t know if I could have done any better. That’s something that still frightens me … the possibility that Sarah and the girls could be in danger, and I’d do something stupid, supposedly to help them. I really can’t say that I would have made a different choice back then. I like to think I would have … but I don’t know that for certain. It’s easy to resent them, for kicking the can down the road, but … if there’s anything I’ve learned about Torchwood, it’s that things are rarely clear-cut,” she answered finally. However, she wasn’t finished and he knew that. He knew his Esther, after all.

She continued after a moment, “And the baby … oh, the baby, Jack! I’m going to be a mother!” Jack’s heart ached, just a bit at the joy in her voice. It wasn’t ‘ _my heart is broken_ ’ kind of an ache, more like a ‘ _she’s happy, please gods, let her **stay** happy_’ kind of ache. The same sort of ache he developed when Gray and Tosh were married (although, that was more of ‘ _let them **both** stay happy_ ’) and when Anwen was placed in Suzie’s arms for the very first time (he still cherished the expression Suzie wore at that moment). Esther continued, “I _am_ a bit worried about how we’ll work this, because as far as I’m concerned, you’re both her father. Regardless of whose DNA she carries, she’s yours and she’s Ianto’s.” She? Jack raised his head to look into Esther’s brown eyes.

He questioned, “She? Are you sure about that? It could just as easily be a boy, you know.” Esther just beamed up at him, eyes alight with laughter and love. Jack angled his head so he could kiss the corners of her mouth, the tip of her chin, the line of her jaw before he shifted upward to kiss her forehead. The door opened and closed behind him, but Jack knew without turning his head who it was. He called over his shoulder, “Everything settled, Yan?” He was rewarded with a light kiss to the nape of his neck, and Jack shivered.

“For the moment. Her Majesty knows that Francine never returned to the safe house, but that’s not the only troubling thing,” Ianto answered, brushing his lips across the skin of Jack’s shoulder. Jack held very still, barely even breathing as Ianto’s hand slid down his hip. His Welsh lover continued, “According to Gray and Tosh, there were reports of a second explosion in Cardiff … on the other side of the city.”

Francine. Oh gods, _Francine_. He was worried, he was angry, he was quietly swearing that whoever did this (and he had a pretty good idea of who that might be) would pay. But his silent worrying was interrupted when Esther cupped his face in her hands, saying firmly, “No. No, you don’t get to do that, Jack Harkness. You want to go after the guilty party? We’ll be right there behind you, all the way. We love Francine, too, you know. She’s been a second mom to ever since I met her. But you do not get to take the responsibility onto yourself. Francine made the choice to help us, and I won’t let you demean her choices.”

Ianto kissed the back of his shoulder again, quietly observing, “She’s right, cariad. You aren’t responsible for what these bastards do. You aren’t responsible for Francine’s choices. You aren’t responsible for my mistakes or Esther’s or the Doctor’s or anyone’s but your own. Maybe Alice’s, but I’m more inclined to put the blame on Lucia in that case, since she’s the one who actually raised Alice.” Jack looked back and forth between them. Ianto and Esther stared at him, faces set and not inclined to take any backtalk from him. Now that he thought about that, while they weren’t inclined to back down even before they met Francine, the pair had gotten even more resolute about taking care of him. (Of course, the fact that Francine warned Esther what she would do to her if she ever hurt Ianto or Jack probably didn’t hurt, but that warning was more of a formality than anything else).

“Arguing won’t do any good, will it?” Jack asked, a purely rhetorical question. Ianto and Esther looked at each other, looked back at him, and shook their heads. It would have been creepy if he hadn’t seen them do it before. Jack sighed and continued, “All right, I won’t waste my breath. I’m guessing that since the Queen told you about this, there are already plans in motion to … to ensure Francine’s safety.” If she was still alive, but that went without saying. And it didn’t really need to be said. Ianto nodded, and that settled that. At least for the moment. This wasn’t Francine’s fight, but she took up the mantle anyhow … to protect him. That wasn’t her job, but she did it anyhow. Jack took a deep breath and continued, “There was more. A meeting in Thames House with these aliens?” That was how it played out in his dreams, which still felt more like memories than dreams to him.

“Yes. And no, Jack, you do not need to say it,” Ianto said, settling down behind Jack. The immortal sighed and folded down against Esther, his head coming to rest against her chest. Her fingers slipped gently through his hair. Ianto’s arm slid across Jack’s ribcage as his hand came to rest on the curve of Esther’s waist. Jack again thought about Esther during the Nostrovite situation and trembled a little. God, their Esther would be breath-taking during her pregnancy! She was always beautiful, inside and out, but he just knew that as her pregnancy progressed, she would be nothing short of radiant. Ianto murmured, “If a confrontation at Thames House becomes necessary … we have avenues open to us. I won’t leave you. Not like that.”

Jack didn’t point out to him that it didn’t preclude other ways Ianto might leave him. That was a truth they were all entirely too familiar with. Nor did he point out the various ways that Esther could leave him …or both of them. Months earlier, when he and Ianto drew Esther into their bed, it was agreed that they wouldn’t worry about the might-be or the could-be, much less the should-be … working in Torchwood, living with Torchwood made it unlikely that most of its people would live to see forty. They accepted that … and focused on today instead.

“That’s right,” Esther said softly, “and that’s why I decided not to worry about who actually provided the biological DNA for this little girl. Yes, Jack, I am certain that we’re having a daughter, the three of us. I’ve been thinking about this a lot since I found out that I was pregnant, since I realized she was on her way. I had to focus on something other than how afraid I was for you. I don’t care if you come back every time, I still worry about you. That’s just how it works. We don’t exactly have a conventional relationship, the three of us … but none of us are really conventional people. If it’s acceptable to the two of you, I want her to carry Ianto’s name … a way he’ll have immortality. But you’re her father, too, Jack.”

That … was actually along the lines of what Jack was thinking, although for vastly different reasons. He was focusing more on the safety of the child. As he well knew, people who were associated with him could become targets. The unborn child would carry Ianto’s surname, and he was more than happy with that. But he would always watch over that child and regard himself as his/her father. Ianto asked a bit plaintively, pressing a soft kiss at the base of Jack’s spine, leaving the immortal to arch against their blonde lover with a gasp, “Really now. Don’t I get a say in this?”

“Nope, not a bit,” was Esther’s sassy rejoinder as she pressed her own hips into Jack’s. She added as her free hand settled over Ianto’s, lacing their fingers together, “Then again, I happen to know that was just a rhetorical question, Ianto, because you don’t really want to argue with me about this.” Or most things, for that matter. Esther continued, “And Jack, quit thinking so much. Ianto, obviously we aren’t doing this right, he’s still worrying.” Ianto’s initial response was a gentle nip to the back of his shoulder.

“He always worries, Esther, even when he’s joking and flirting,” was the Welshman’s verbal response, “but I do agree that it’s time to up the ante.” Jack started to protest, to tease his two lovers, but Ianto did something with his hand that removed all the tension from Jack’s body. He just melted against Esther, and Ianto said, his breath caressing the hairs on the back of Jack’s neck, “The city, the country, the world can do without Captain Jack Harkness for an hour. Trust in us, and trust the rest of the team. Let us take care of you.” Well, when he put it like that … but even as Ianto and Esther worked in tandem, Jack continued to run scenarios through his mind and worry for Francine. He did this for a living, but she was a civilian. It was his job to protect her, not the other way around.

 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

Cardiff, Wales

That Day

 

She sat on the kerb, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she stared at what was her car and at the remains of the businesses that lined the street. When the bomb blew up and she saw the blast over her shoulder, she truly thought this was it. Her life was over, and she wouldn’t have a chance to say good-bye to the people she loved most. That was her biggest regret, really, that and not having the chance to see her grandchildren grow up. And she certainly didn’t blame Jack, not for something that she chose to do. He hadn’t wanted her involved, but Francine Jones spent a year on the Valiant watching that man die to distract the Master from her family. It was long past time that she looked after him the way he protected him that Year.

She thought she was going to die, but that young Detective Inspector shoved her hard through the door, propelling them both to safety. They both should have died. But they were alive. Not everyone could say that, and Francine knew that she was partially responsible. Yes, they put a bomb in her car, these bastards who were trying to silence her son, but she was the one who chose to park there, in a populated area. She would have to live with that for the rest of her life. A gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder, and Andy Davidson sat down beside her.

“Don’t do that to yourself,” he said gently as he pressed a cup of hot tea into her hands. Francine accepted it, forcing herself to stop shaking, and the young man continued, “There wasn’t enough time for you to get to a safe place. They are the guilty ones, not you. I know, that doesn’t help, but it’s the truth. And there are a lot of people who are alive right now, because of you.” Francine looked up at him, startled, and Andy explained, “Because you did stop, because you did tell me, these people had a chance to get to safety. They wouldn’t have had a chance if you kept driving, the bomb would have simply gone off. This isn’t your fault.”

Francine nodded jerkily, because she really couldn’t think of anything to say to that. Was she in shock, was she numb? She thought after seeing Japan burn, after fearing for so long that her little girl was dead, that nothing could shock her again … that nothing could make her feel that way a second time. Certainly not a car blowing up. But it wasn’t just the car exploding. It was that text. ‘ _Then you will burn_.’ The individuals who put a bomb in Jack, who put a bomb in her car, didn’t see Jack or her as human beings, but as things.

And with that understanding, the numbness vanished, to be replaced with rage. White-hot, all consuming rage that flowed through her veins and set her nerves tingling. Andy patted her shoulder again, telling her that he needed to check out something, and Francine bobbed her head. But she was remembering the message on her mobile, before everything went to hell, and she had a call to make. She made eye contact with Kathy Swanson, still nursing a bruised jaw (normally, Francine respected the police, but Swanson was asking for it, telling her that she was sure she was regretting her involvement with Torchwood now) and smiled coldly. Then she turned her attention to her mobile and found the number she needed.

Andy already assured her that the consequences she would face for striking an officer of the law would be minimal, considering she wasn’t in full possession of her faculties at the time, but she wasn’t worried about Swanson. Instead, she dialed the number of their American ally with trembling fingers. Something had to be done about the monster in human flesh that did this, and she knew just the person to do it. Was it revenge? Maybe. For Francine, living through that horrible Year, the line between justice and revenge was incredibly fine. There was still a part of her that wished she’d killed the Master.

The phone was answered on the first ring, and her ally (not his granddaughter, thank God) said in his lightly-accented English, “Are you all right, cara? I was expecting to hear from you sooner.” He sounded worried, too. Francine smiled in spite of herself, because really, it was what she came to expect from him. He was a much older gentleman, at least in his nineties given the references he often made, and often behaved as if Francine was his daughter. There were times when it amused Francine and times when it grated on her nerves.   Right now, though, it soothed her and calmed her rattled nerves. Right now, that was exactly what she needed.

In a trembling voice, she told him what just happened … about the bomb in her car, the texts she received before it blew up, and about what they’d done to Jack. She told him everything that she knew so far … not that she had a great deal of information about the alien life form that they were facing. The trouble was, she was far less concerned about the alien threat than she was about the human threat. When she finished, there was a long silence. Francine didn’t care. Truly, the anger was slowly leaving her, at least for the moment. She knew it would be back later, but for right now, the anger was taking a backseat to the grief and horror. When the phone call ended, then she would let herself cry.

At last, he said quietly, “I thought I could not be horrified again by humanity. I was wrong. Francine, cara, I am so sorry that you have been through such a horrible ordeal.” She smiled weakly, even though he couldn’t see her, and he continued, “When it is over, once the alien threat is removed, I will deal with the human threat in my own way. I am a very old man, and a very rich man. There are those in your government who owe me favors. It is long past time I called in some of those favors. Those who did this to you, who did this to Jack? They will suffer, Francine, this I promise you.”

She didn’t bother thanking him. Not because she wasn’t grateful (she was beyond grateful), but because this was one of those times when ‘ _thank you_ ’ wasn’t nearly enough. Instead, she said, “There are other things you need to know. Jack, Ianto and Esther … Esther is pregnant. About five or six weeks. They found out at the same time they discovered the bomb in Jack.” There was a small inhale of breath from the other end of the line, and Francine pretended not to notice Kathy Swanson edging closer, probably trying to hear the conversation. She didn’t care. She’d hit her again if she made another remark about Jack or Torchwood or anything else. Jail time or no, she was long past fed up with the female detective inspector’s attitude.

“I can take another man from his assignment and have him watch over her. It doesn’t matter if the baby is Jack’s … he’ll regard that child as his own. That makes the infant important to me as well,” her ally said. Francine smiled and told him the rest of the story. There were things she hadn’t told him in the beginning, while she and Harriet were slowly coming to trust him. But now, sitting on the kerb with the cool concrete under her legs, looking at her car as it burned, she did. No one was paying attention to her, and even if they were, they would have dismissed what she had to say as the ramblings of a woman in shock. But he wouldn’t. Somehow, he knew. Somehow, he understood.

And so, she told him about the Valiant and the long Year of watching the Master destroy the Earth and humanity. She told him about the five years Jack spent buried alive because of something that happened when he was a child (and oh, that story still broke Francine’s heart when she thought about it) and the horrific dreams/memories he had during those five years, before Gray was able to rescue him. Finally, she told him about what she had done, about the lives lost because she pulled over to the side to look at her text messages. She was vaguely aware of the stares she was receiving from some of the onlookers, but she didn’t care. She just didn’t care anymore.

And when she was finished speaking, there was another long silence. Francine used that time to gather together the shredded pieces of her composure. It was a patchwork job, to be sure, but it would stand her in good stead until she could return to the safe house … and there, she would be able to fall apart in peace.

When her ally spoke, his voice was infinitely gentle, but leaving no room for misunderstanding, “You are not at fault here, Francine Jones. You have told me that the young detective who saved your life has told you this and now _I_ am telling you. There is no doubt in my mind that when you see him once again that Jack will tell you the exact same thing. This is not your fault. In no way is this your fault. Could you have done things differently? Certainly. But when all is said and done, when the final word is written, those ultimately responsible are the ones who set the bombs, both of them. They are the ones who bear the blame here, not you. The ones who let fear dictate their actions, as I once did … they are to blame. _Not_ you.”

Francine closed her eyes and allowed her head to drop onto her forearm, still clutching the phone. She whispered, “Thank you, Angelo. It’s one thing to hear it from Andy Davidson … it’s another to hear it from you.” There was a warm sound on the other end, and because she was Francine Jones, because she loved her children (even the one who was actually older than her), she asked softly, “Will you ever see him again, Angelo? Will you ever let him tell you that he’s forgiven you?” She knew the story, of course. She heard it when he first made contact with her and Harriet, because he wanted them to understand exactly why he was helping them … why he was determined to protect, to watch over, Jack.

There was a soft sigh, and then Angelo Colasanto answered, “Not yet. I hope to see him one last time, cara, but now is not the time. The time is coming, but it is not now. I need to be here, for when the Families make their move. And I know that my own time is running out. Take care of him until then, if you please? Never mention my name. He has forgiven me, I know this. He forgives as easily as he loves. But in truth, I still have not forgiven myself, and there are more things I need to do to atone.”

“I understand,” Francine answered simply and she did. Not what happened that dreadful night in 1928, but she understood that Angelo wasn’t ready to accept Jack’s forgiveness … and that he was still putting things into place. She only said, “Thank you, my friend … for everything.” They said their good-byes, and Francine sighed, folding in on herself. She was vaguely aware of someone sitting down beside her, but she paid them no mind. She was tired. She was so tired. Right now, all she wanted to do was hug each of her four children and then sleep. But like Angelo and accepting Jack’s forgiveness, it wasn’t yet time to do that.

A gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder and a soft voice asked, “Are you all right?” Francine raised her head, startled by the owner of that voice. Kathy Swanson smiled at her a bit ruefully, saying, “My captain tells me that there are times when my alligator mouth gets the better of my hummingbird rear-end. It’s something he learned in the States. I don’t have much use for Harkness or Torchwood, but it’s pretty clear that you love him very much … and I had no business shooting my mouth off when you’d just come so close to dying. I’m sorry.”

Francine nodded, because right now, she couldn’t speak. It seemed that it wasn’t necessary, because Detective Swanson continued, “Besides, it’s becoming clear to me that whoever is behind this is the real threat. People who put bombs in cars of average people because of whom they know … they’re bad news. I’ll do what I can, even if that’s not much. Can I start by taking you home?” Francine again nodded, tears now spilling down her face. Swanson’s face hardened briefly and then softened as she said quietly, “No. No, here’s where I start.”

With those unexpected words, she pulled Francine into her arms, holding her as she held Martha and Tish and Leo when their hearts had been broken, as she held Jack too many times after the Master killed him. Kathy Swanson held her, one arm around her back and the other hand cradling her skull, and the older woman began to quietly weep. There was still so much to do, but for now, she would take this unexpected comfort. Jack would tell her that this wasn’t her responsibility, but he was wrong. He became part of her family on the Valiant … and that made it her responsibility, her business, her job.

 

TBC

 


	10. Spoken Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Francine is reunited with half of her family; Jack and Alice begin working out the best way to deal with Thames House (including the potential civilian fatalities); while Ianto and Esther have some cuddle time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nope, this story hasn’t been abandoned. I just got sidetracked by a few things (coughCaptainAmerica:TheWinterSoldiercough). That, and I couldn’t figure out how I wanted to start this chapter. Oh yes, and I can’t forget my summer hours at work. I love my job, have I mentioned that lately? I really do. Since we’re in the summer months, we were given the option of flex hours … working nine hours on Monday through Thursday, and then working half a day on Friday. I’m taking advantage of that opportunity, and it’s working out great. But enough of that … onto the story. This chapter will be a bit shorter than usual … I wanted to pick up the next chapter when they reach London, so instead of adding a third section (and point of view), I decided to end it here.

Cardiff, Wales

That Night

 

He slipped out of bed, letting Ianto and Esther sleep. They desperately needed it, and he … he needed to get back to work. Too much depended on what he did in the next few hours. Besides, he’d slept for almost six hours, and that was more than enough for him. His first order of business was to check on Francine, since he knew something was going on there. But as Jack Harkness opened the bedroom door and slipped into the main part of the safe house, the front door was opening and closing, and a very shaken Francine Jones was entering the house. They stared at each other for several moments … Francine staring at him as if she’d never seen him before, and Jack staring back, trying to figure out what happened to her. And then she rushed across the room, enveloping him in the fiercest hug he’d ever received from her. Jack’s arms closed around her, holding her close and feeling her tremble against his body.

Slowly at first, she explained what happened, but the more she talked, the more the words spilled out of her … the texts from their mysterious opponent, realizing that her car was rigged, finding Andy Davidson to get as many of the businesses evacuated as possible, and the explosion that had her life flashing before her eyes. Jack closed his eyes, holding her tightly, as she whispered into his shirt, “They didn’t care about the collateral damage, Jack.   Not when they put that bomb inside you, and not when they blew up my car. They’re monsters just like the 456, maybe even worse, and they have to be stopped.”

He spoke for the first time, murmuring, “I’m guessing that means I can’t talk you into going home to your family?” Jack muffled a yelp against Francine’s hair as she swatted his butt, but grinned, adding softly, “Well, it was worth a shot.” Francine’s hand moved back up to his back, giving Jack the sense that if it were up to her, she’d never let go … and that it was as much for her own sake as for his. That was fine. In fact, it was more than fine. If it was up to him, he’d never let go, either. But it wasn’t up to him.

“You foolish, foolish boy … when will you learn? You _are_ family.   You always will be, do you understand? You’re my child in all the ways that matter, you’re my son, and I love you,” Francine whispered fiercely, fingers curling around his braces. Jack swallowed hard, because there wasn’t much he could say to that, other than ‘ _thank you_ ’ and ‘ _I love you, too_.’ His own mother was long gone and not yet born. He wondered how Gray would feel about having a new adoptive mother, and as if Francine could suddenly hear his thoughts, she added, “And don’t think I don’t already consider baby Devin to by my grandson in all the ways that matter. I do.”

“I don’t deserve you,” Jack told the woman softly, barely biting back another yelp as Francine swatted his butt yet again. It seemed she was taking this business about being his mother seriously. Then again, she always had, even when they were on the Valiant. Jack kissed the top of her head, asking softly, “Are you all right? Will you be all right?” Francine’s arms once more tightened around his waist, and Jack had the sense that she was slowly regaining her composure and every time her embrace tightened, she was one step closer to reclaiming the formidable woman whom Jack knew and treasured.

“I will be. I will be. The others, are they asleep?” she asked and Jack hummed an assent. Francine continued, “Good. They need their rest. Worrying about someone you love takes a lot out of you. But you should still be resting … worrying takes a lot of energy, but you’ve been through a terrible ordeal today, Jack. I don’t suppose you would listen if I told you that you should go back to bed and get some more rest?” Jack pulled back to look at his self-chosen mother and slowly shook his head. The woman sighed, before adding, “Very well. If I could stay up with you, I would, but I feel a bit unsteady.”

“Then get some sleep, Francine … I can stay up with Dad, if you don’t mind staying with Steven. I just checked on Ianto and Esther, Dad, and they’re both still sound asleep. She’s right about how worried they’ve been about you, how worried we’ve all been,” Alice said softly. She stood in the doorway of her room, arms folded over her chest. Francine hugged Jack once more, kissing his cheek at the same time, before heading for the room from which Alice just emerged. As she passed Jack’s daughter, she hugged her as well. Alice returned the hug, whispering something that made Francine smile. Then the door closed behind Francine, and Alice turned to face Jack, asking, “So? What’s our first move?”

He could have reassured her, telling her that everything was fine and she should get more sleep. But Jack found that he wanted his daughter’s company, the memories of that other reality so painfully fresh when it came to his relationship with Alice. And so, instead, he told her, “Our first move is to figure out what’s going on in London. Gray and Tosh are coordinating from there, I know, but I’m more worried about what’s going on in Thames House. I need to see if there have been any modifications to the building in the last few days. In my other set of memories, that was where the first confrontation with the 456 took place for Torchwood.”

Alice’s mouth formed a grim line, but she said, “All right, we’ll start there. And Dad? We won’t let it end the same way. There’s no way I’m losing you or Steve. It’s just not going to happen.” Jack could only smile sadly at his beautiful daughter as they settled at the table in front of the laptop. Alice put her hand on his cheek, drawing his attention, as she repeated forcefully, “It won’t happen, I won’t let it. We went through hell to find each other again, there is no way a group of government flunkies or alien drug dealers will take either of you from me. Got it?”

Stated that way, Jack couldn’t argue with his daughter and could only say, “Got it. We’ve got a lot of work to do, then.” With those words, he began checking the sites which Rhys gave him. The husband of his second-in-command briefed him on what to look for, with regards to the haulage business, and there would be significant haulage involved with the kind of construction/additions to Thames House that would be going on. He smiled to himself, remembering his conversation with Rhys when he was given that information … specifically, when he thanked Rhys for the information in question. The other man’s ears reddened as he replied, ‘ _bloody hell, Jack … that’s what you do for family_.’ When Jack questioned that, Rhys glowered at him, adding, ‘ _you know damn good and well that you’re family. If you hadn’t already been giving Suzie away, you would have been … well, not best man, but somethin’ important at our wedding_!’ All right then.

 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 

He only thought they were still asleep … and Ianto let him think that. He could sense how restless Jack was getting and knew that the immortal member of their triad needed to be up and working and figuring out how he was going to get them out of this. What he hadn’t known (which was funny, because he claimed more than once to know everything) was that the female member of their threesome was also awake. That was even more mortifying, because the shift in her breathing should have alerted him to that. It didn’t. Instead, her soft voice did as she whispered, “He’s making sure that you don’t accompany him to Thames House, isn’t he?”

Ianto twitched, ever so slightly, and Esther added with barely hidden amusement, “Didn’t know I was awake, hm? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone that you don’t really know everything.” She squeaked as Ianto reached down and pinched her in retaliation. Of course, that didn’t stop her from adding cheekily, “Pinch away, sweetie … all you’re doing is convincing me that I should tell Owen or Suzie. Or maybe Gray.” Ianto’s eyes narrowed. Oooh, now she was playing dirty! Didn’t she know by now that he could always play dirtier than her? Maybe it was time he reminded her. With a wicked grin, Ianto rolled to one side, taking Esther with him. Fortunately, she bit back another squeak … and then she didn’t have to, because Ianto was kissing her.

It was a move Jack taught him once when Ianto wouldn’t talk to him, just turned away from him. It was bad enough, looking back, that he was behaving like a pouting child … no, things were infinitely worse when he actually told Jack what was bothering him, he realized that he completely misrepresented Jack’s words. There was a flash of hurt in the beautiful eyes, one that Jack was unable to completely hide. Or maybe Ianto was just getting better at paying attention to the immortal captain’s expressions.

And now, that move was being utilized not to ‘encourage conversation,’ but to allow Ianto to pin Esther to the bed. As her body became pliant under his, and as she returned his kisses, Ianto struck … he knew by now where her most sensitive spots, fingers dancing across the skin he knew to be the most ticklish. Esther squirmed under him, her kisses becoming more frantic as she tried to move away from his fingers. But Ianto was relentless, and when she breathed, ‘uncle’ against his mouth, the tickling turned to caresses.

They lay there together in silence, Ianto now feathering kisses along Esther’s hair, and she said softly, repeating her words from a few minutes ago, “He’s working out ways to keep us out of Thames House, isn’t he? Even if he goes in there alone, where the other monsters can get him if he dies, he’s going to do this alone.” There was a quiet resignation in Esther’s voice that hurt Ianto’s heart to hear. She hated watching Jack die, just as he did, but where Ianto feared that one day he would run out of juice, something else troubled Esther … something she wouldn’t share with him or with Jack.

“Not even promising that I would stay with you helped,” Ianto confirmed as he slid back to Esther’s side, resting his hand against their child, who was still no bigger than a peanut. Maybe a little bigger. Esther sighed and nestled closer to him, and Ianto murmured, “I wish I knew what happened, knew why he saw so many things that were real, and so many things that were distorted.” Esther hummed under her breath and rested her own hand over his. He continued, curling his body around hers protectively, “I’m not sure it actually matters. At the very least, we get a warning of what’s to come, and Owen is still looking at possible ways to destroy the 456 without using any children.”

“He still has the tests he ran when I was turned into a toddler … do you think that will help?” Esther inquired. In truth, Ianto thought that would be the most likely source of a solution. But there was always the possibility that wouldn’t work, which was why Ianto started looking at other possibilities. He shied away from using those possibilities, but he wasn’t the one who had to make the final decision. Not for the first time, Ianto was beyond grateful that it wasn’t him to make those decisions. He saw what giving Jasmine to the fairies did to Jack … not just the backlash from Tosh, Owen and Alice, but the toll it took on his captain.

They still hadn’t told Esther about that, and he knew if Jack had his way, they never would. It wasn’t a matter of not trusting Esther. Rather, it was the immortal’s view that it was over, it was done, and everyone involved learned something. Ianto wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what Jack learned. He had the uneasy sensation that it would break his heart. Regardless, Ianto respected Jack’s request to leave the past in the past. God knew the man should be able to leave one thing in the past, given the way his past turned up every so often. Not just Gray, who was now here pretty much permanently, but Aaron, John Hart, the Doctor … well. Suffice it to say, Jack had a great deal of past to come back.

He said softly, once he realized that Esther was still waiting to hear his answer, “I hope so. I truly hope so. If we could use that to blow the 456 back to the Stone Age, rather than use any child, I’ll be the first in line to do what had to be done. If not …” None of them wanted to think about that. They were all agreed … Jack would not be put in a position where he had to sacrifice Steven, and his relationship with Alice. The trouble was, if Owen wasn’t able to synthesize the brain chemistry to an age appropriate level, a child would still die.

And Esther completed his thought, murmuring, “If not, a child will die. Suzie is combing the hospitals for children who are brain dead. Seems so easy … but could we really do that to a parent? Take away all hope of their child ever waking up? Doctors don’t know everything, after all. I’m not strong enough to make a choice like that. I know I’m not. I couldn’t agree to it, if it were Alys or Melanie, or our baby. Maybe I’m not fit to be in Torchwood.” It was the first time she’d said something like that, and while Ianto knew where she was coming from, he also had to make sure she understood something.

“Knowing that doesn’t make you unfit for Torchwood, cariad. Now, if you knew you couldn’t make that decision, and you lashed out at Jack because he could, because he did … that would be something else entirely. You’re a neophyte field agent, Esther, it isn’t your job to make those decisions. Just … just remember that when he’s made a decision that you don’t agree with, it probably hurt him even more than it hurt you,” Ianto answered. He pointedly tried not to think of a night filled with fire and blood and pain, of a terrible promise made … one of the few promises he had no intention of keeping. Ever.

Esther was silent for several moments as she processed this, before asking very softly, “We’re not talking about the children any more, are we?” Ianto shook his head. They never spoke of Lisa, he and Esther. There was another long silence, and then Esther asked softly, “Will you tell me about her, Ianto? About your Lisa?” He could have teased her, told her that she didn’t need to specify Lisa Hallett, since she was the only one they were talking about. But he didn’t.

Instead, he began to talk about … well, silly things. He told her about the face Lisa would make, first thing in the morning … about the habits and mannerisms that made her so very and uniquely Lisa. And then he did something he hadn’t done since he returned from suspension, so many years ago. He told her about the moment he realized that the thing encased in metal was no longer his Lisa, was in fact the thing that killed her. That, he admitted, was the beginning. It was when he began to forgive Jack. It was a long road for them both.

“But now, it’s worth it?” Esther asked softly when he finally fell silent once more. Ianto smiled into the darkness, against her hair, even as soft footfall alerted him to the fact that they were no longer in the room. It was an odd question for her to ask, even though he knew that she didn’t mean the death of Lisa and the loss of so many people at Torchwood One. But to him, it was all rolled up in one thing. However, she added a moment later, “The hurt that you and Jack went through … it was all worth it, right?”

“One hundred percent worth it, sweet girl,” Jack said softly, sitting at the edge of the bed. Esther kicked at him half-heartedly, which led to the capture of her foot (probably what she was aiming for. Their Esther was sneaky at times) … as well as Ianto’s calf. All three were silent for several moments, as Jack was content to cradle Esther’s foot in one hand, and rub his thumb up and down Ianto’s calf. But Ianto held his breath, knowing that more was to come.

He was right. After several moments, Jack went on, “Alice is back in her room … we don’t have a plan, but we have the pieces of one. We just need a little more information from Tosh and Gray. I also need to talk to Suzie, see how she feels about Rhys helping us to evacuate as many people from Thames House as possible when things go south.” Jack still hadn’t told Ianto how he died in his Other memories, but given what Jack said about evacuating, Ianto could make a pretty good guess.

Esther said softly, “I don’t imagine Suzie will have an issue with it … in fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if Rhys volunteered to do just that.” Jack smiled at her, and Esther continued, “But that can wait until morning. We’ve already worked out the transportation schedule, so not everyone leaves at the same time. Rhys is confirming the food supply at our safe house in London. You need to rest more.” Jack started to speak, but Esther said quietly, “Our daughter needs all three of us right now, and you need to rest. I know that you’re back and whole, but being blown up is still rough on your system. Lay down with us, Jack. We work better when it’s the three of us together.” Jack made no more protests. Gently placing Esther’s foot back on the bed and giving Ianto’s calf one final rub, he lay down beside them both, so that he and Ianto held Esther between them, sheltering her and their unborn child.

 

TBC

 


	11. Those Who Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys makes a choice that may impact the rest of his life; Tosh makes a discovery; while Owen and Alice have a quiet moment on their way to London.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! It only took me two weeks this time! I probably would have had this out sooner, but we were wrapping up graduation business at work and I needed to do quick research about how much power the Queen of England actually has (which necessitated a minor correction). On the other hand, I wanted to have this chapter done and posted by this afternoon (Saturday-my neighbors are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a renewing of their vows today). That’s been accomplished. So, we’re inching toward the first confrontation … namely, the one in Thames House. By now, after reading this series, you should expect it to be wholly different from how things went originally. Really, really, really different (bobs head earnestly). And don’t be surprised if the next chapter has some influences from the new Transformers movie coming out on Friday … no ‘Bots or ‘Cons will be showing up, but sometimes, movies trigger something or make me look at something in a different way. The Brad Thor book I just finished up did that as well. And now, on with the chapter!

Somewhere between Cardiff and London

The following morning

 

 

Rhys Williams would never forget the first time he realized the difference between Suzie Costello Williams, his wife and Anwen’s mother, and Suzie Costello Williams, the Assistant Director of Torchwood Cardiff.   Oh, he knew that there was a difference between the woman whom he married and the woman who was Jack’s second in command. That was never in doubt. But until that day, he’d never really seen the difference, because he’d never really seen his Suzie in action. And she’d been impressive … scratch that, she’d been bloody _incredible_.

It was only a few months after Anwen came to them (and Rhys was sure that Jack’s friendship with the Queen had something to do with their ease in adopting their little girl. The blighter would never admit it whenever Rhys asked him, of course, just smiled), and the new family was bonding at a local park. The outing was Suzie’s idea … however, it was Rhys’ idea to go to the park and have an all-day picnic. Picnics were few and far between for his wife while she was growing up, and Rhys was determined to rectify that … as often as possible. And Suzie was still on family leave, courtesy of Jack (again).

Rhys still wasn’t entirely clear about the events leading up to it … they were packing up as dusk fell, one parent staying with Anwen while the other one carried their supplies back to their car. It was his turn to carry, leaving Suzie to watch over Anwen … and when he returned to his wife and their daughter, it was to find his Suzie standing protectively in front of their little girl, gun trained on one of those alien blokes that Jack and the rest of Torchwood called ‘Weevils,’ cussing him out in English and (what he assumed to be) Italian. The Weevil lunged forward and there wasn’t time for Rhys to cry out. But Suzie … Suzie fired without hesitation.

Anwen, who’d been calm up until that point, began wailing at the loud noise. Rhys wanted to weep as well, but for another reason. He married this woman. He married this extraordinary woman, who hadn’t even hesitated, who hadn’t made a sound … just did what she had to do to protect her family. One moment, his wife was this bad-arse alien fighter, but by the time she’d turned around, the safety was back on the gun and she was scooping Anwen into her arms, covering her face with kisses, even as tears streaked her own face. Rhys enveloped them both in his arms, trembling as he began to realize just how much danger both his wife and daughter were in. But Suzie never even hesitated … she simply protected their daughter … and Rhys himself.

The following day, while Suzie and Esther were investigating possible reasons for the Weevil showing up there, Jack invited Rhys and Anwen into his office. While Anwen played with Jack’s fingers and his braces (and anything else she could get her little fingers on), Rhys sipped at Jack’s whiskey, holding his glass with a trembling hand. And when Jack inquired how that entire scenario made Rhys feel, the lorry driver had to admit that he was terrified, and angry, and sodding well turned on. He glanced at Jack, asking if that made him strange. Jack offered him a smile that was equally sad and amused, before answering, ‘ _Rhys, I’d be more worried if seeing what a bad-ass your wife can be **didn’t** turn you on_.’ Rhys blushed, but grinned anyhow … funny, how that one sentence from Jack did more to help than anything else anyone said up to that point. And Jack’s next words were an even bigger help. Kissing the top of Anwen’s head, he added, ‘ _and there’s no doubt in my mind, Rhys, that you can be just as bad-ass when you need to be_.’ Rhys started to protest, but stopped because really … why would he argue with Jack Harkness about this, Jack who was sodding Action Man come to life?

Funny. Months later, he was getting the opportunity to find out if Jack was right, and as was so often the case, the circumstances sucked rocks. Not that there was ever a question in Rhys’ mind whether he would do it or not. In the first place, it was Suzie asking it of him … and up until now, the most he’d done for Torchwood was take supplies to Flat Holm. That was one thing (it took him months to stop having nightmares about the screams, and Jack hadn’t asked him to take supplies in a while). But this … normally, Rhys would be taking things, not people. And yet … how could he say ‘no,’ even if it wasn’t Suzie asking?

From what Jack told them, the people inside Thames House would be in danger, whether Jack confronted these aliens or not. Rhys could see his point … there were so many ways things could go wrong, with the way the government was playing this. He was just a lorry driver and he could see this, why couldn’t they? He posed that question to Suzie as they drove to London, and not surprisingly, his wife had an answer for him. She observed quietly, “You see things as they are, Rhys. You have no political clout, the only things you’re afraid of losing are me and Anwen. Your sight isn’t being clouded by fear of losing political power.”

Rhys shook his head. He knew his wife was right … but these arses were fighting the very people who were trying to protect them! When he pointed this out to Suzie, she responded with a small smile, saying, “No, my love. We’re trying to protect this planet, not them. Frobisher and Green and the others can _burn_ for all I care. In fact, once this is over, I’ll light the bonfire myself. The only reason I haven’t gone public with what I know is because that would make things worse instead of better.” The other reason was to protect Jack. Not from what his other self did in the dream world (and Rhys was still ashamed at how he reacted when he heard the full story), but from the general public from finding out that there was a man who couldn’t stay dead.

There were good people in this world. He _knew_ that. He knew that like he knew his name, like he knew how to take care of Suzie after a particularly rough day, like he knew how to get their daughter calmed down after she had a nightmare and wanted mummy. But there were also people who would torture someone in the name of humanity, in the name of science. And he would not subject anyone he cared about to that. Rephrase. He wouldn’t allow anyone to be subjected to that, much less someone he cared about.

And he realized as his wife waited for his answer, as he listened to Anwen babble happily, that his time of waiting was over. He meant what he told Jack about not belonging in Torchwood. He was more comfortable as a homebody, making sure that Suzie and Anwen (and their extended family) were all right. But really, this wasn’t about Torchwood, it was about doing what was right. Those people at Thames House didn’t deserve to die just for going to work, and they didn’t deserve to die because their bosses decided to roll over for these alien bastards.

With that in mind, he told Suzie quietly, “I’ll do it.” She all but sagged in relief, her fingers tangling with his before raising his hand to her lips and kissing his knuckles. Rhys was no fool. He knew there would be consequences for what he was doing. And as long as Anwen didn’t get caught in the crossfire, he would bear those consequences. But if someone hurt his daughter because of what he did today, he knew who was to blame, and it wasn’t the woman sitting beside him, or the rest of their family. Whoever that person was would find out first-hand just what those who stand and wait were truly capable of.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

“Got it!”

Toshiko Sato-Harkness grinned viciously. Devin’s fussing woke her early this morning, and since her husband was still sleeping like the dead (worn out from worrying about his brother and about everything else), Tosh got up to see to her son. And then, true to form recently, she couldn’t go back to sleep. In truth, she hadn’t been sleeping well ever since the planets were moved. There was this overpowering sense that something was coming, and Tosh spent many nights tinkering when she couldn’t sleep.

This time, however … this time, she went over the CCTV footage with a fine-tooth comb, holding her sleeping son against her chest until a mortified Gray got up and put Devin back to bed. Thanks to the influence of Brigadier-General (retired) Lethbridge-Stewart and the insistence of the Queen, Tosh had access to all of the black ops teams in the United Kingdom. And now she knew who targeted her team, her family. Her cry of triumph drew the attention of both Her Majesty and her husband.

“Who is it, my dear?” the Queen asked quietly. A glance over her shoulder told Tosh that Elizabeth II was quietly furious, her blue eyes cold and hard. Tosh swallowed hard and began to explain what she’d been doing. It was habit, but Her Majesty said gently, “There is no need to explain, child. I only need to know the name of the woman who placed a bomb in one of my dearest friends and who blew up the car of a civilian woman.” Technically speaking, since Francine was helping Torchwood, she was no longer a civilian, but Tosh didn’t bother to point that out. She was sure the queen already knew it.

“Her name is Agent Cordelia Johnson,” Tosh began and really, was there ever a more unlikely name for someone like this bitch? Not that she commented on it … it had nothing to do with what they needed to know. Instead, she proceeded to outline what she knew about their human enemy. And that was exactly what Tosh considered the woman … her enemy. Not as a misguided person trying to do the right thing, not as a potential ally who was acting under orders, but an enemy. She could have forgiven her for destroying the Hub … but for what she did to Jack and what she tried to do to Francine Jones? No. No, despite her years of working with the most forgiving man she’d ever met, that was one thing Tosh was never able to learn from Jack. What Johnson and her men had done to Jack and Francine was unforgiveable.

“Actually, my dear, when I’m finished with her, her name will be mud. Her, and everyone who has served with her on this debacle. In our community, reputation is _everything_ and when word gets out, she won’t be hired as a dog-catcher,” the Brigadier observed rather archly. Tosh and Gray looked at the older man, who merely smiled at them. He pointed out, “I am retired from UNIT, but my contacts aren’t limited to UNIT. Besides, her Majesty has other possibilities open to her.” The worthy lady in question merely smiled beatifically. Tosh couldn’t speak for her husband, but the Queen’s expression sent chills down her spine.

A quick glance at Gray warned her to hold her own counsel … this was out of their hands. The Brig said into the silence that followed, “If I recall correctly, Jack mentioned that they would be arriving today, correct?” Tosh nodded, and the UNIT general continued, “Good.   Our work isn’t done, not by far. One thing that has impressed me so far about you, Toshiko Sato-Harkness, is that you haven’t asked where the Doctor is.” That was right … the Brig was considered one of the Doctor’s Companions, just as Jack was.

However, it was Gray who replied, “Honestly, sir, I’m not sure we want the Doctor here. Torchwood, and my brother, is more than capable of solving this, even if UNIT is doing its damnedest to cause more problems. No offense to you, sir, but even if I ignore them locking Tosh away without a trial, UNIT has been more trouble than it’s worth lately. I get that the Doctor used to work with you people, and I get that he has nothing but disdain for Torchwood and my brother, but right now, UNIT is the problem, not the solution, and I don’t trust the Doctor not to side with UNIT against us.”

Tosh opened her mouth, remembering the Doctor in the leather jacket when she was in London to investigate the pig who crashed (since Owen was hung over at the time, something Jack knew and they should have realized he knew), but Gray added, “I know, Tosh. I trust the Doctor who sent me to Jack, and I’ve no doubt that I’d trust the Doctor whom you met and who reminded Jack who and what he is … but there are other incarnations who I don’t trust.”

“Regardless of your reasons, son, it speaks well of you that you’re focused on what you can do, rather than relying on the Doctor to do it … as does your faith in your brother,” the Brig said. Gray’s ears turned a bit red, and Tosh ducked her head with a small smile. The Brig continued, “So. We now know the name of the individual who is carrying out the orders. You’ve done your job, Miss Tosh. Now, you are going to rest and allow her Majesty to do her part and me to do mine. Come along.” Tosh was on the point of telling him that she wasn’t tired, and there was still work to be done, but the huge yawn that nearly cracked her jaw ruined any credibility she might have had about not being tired.

Besides, Gray was already sweeping her into his arms, drawing a startled squeak from her, and saying, “He’s right, angel-face. If you’ll excuse me, Brig, your Majesty, I need to tuck my wife into bed.” The Queen smiled gently, waving them out of the room, and behind Gray, Tosh could hear the old soldier and the Queen of England discussing whatever would come next. Later in the day, they would meet up with Jack and the others. Tosh rested her head on her husband’s shoulder as he carried her into the room where they’d been resting since their arrival in London.

Inside the room, he set her on her feet and kissed the side of her head, murmuring, “Check on Devin, sweetheart, and then get changed. I just need to send a message to Jack.” Tosh nodded and moved quietly to their son’s cot. Even now, five months after his birth, looking at her baby boy took Tosh’s breath away and melted her heart in her chest. She helped to create this beautiful child, she helped to create him and she carried him for nine months. Only hours after Devin was born, she whispered to Jack that she hoped he wouldn’t be offended if she said that she regarded Devin as her greatest accomplishment.

Jack had laughed softly and kissed the top of her head, answering in an equally soft voice that he would have been _more_ offended if she said anything else. Tosh counted that as one of the loveliest things he’d ever said to her. Jack added that it would grow, that feeling, as Devin grew up and become a good man. Tosh raised her eyebrows at that, asking if he knew something she didn’t. As soon as the words were out, she wanted to call them back, because there was no end to what Jack knew and she didn’t. But he merely smiled and told her that Devin was her son and Gray’s … of course he would be a good man.

And he _would_ be a good man … just like his father, just like his uncle. Tosh would see to that, and if she couldn’t, Gray would … and if Devin lost them both, there was still Jack. Tosh was convinced that if he was given the real chance, Jack would make a wonderful father. Alice agreed, telling Tosh stories about when she was little, before her world was up-ended and her father was taken from her life. _When he was allowed to be_ , Alice said as they sat together one day near the end of Tosh’s pregnancy, _Dad was a wonderful father to me, and I know that if something happens to me, he’ll be a wonderful father for Steven_. Alice had complete faith in her father. So did Tosh.

Now that she wasn’t focused on finding Agent Johnson and her team, Tosh’s fatigue settled in far more quickly. She stroked a petal-soft cheek, murmuring, ‘ _mummy loves you, Devin_ ,’ before making her way to her suitcase and pulling out a nightshirt. By the time she was putting her dirty clothes in the appropriate suitcase, her feet were dragging and Gray was re-entering the room. She crawled under the covers, sighing with contentment when Gray slipped in beside her, drawing her into his arms. They were right. She knew they were right, and she would take her rest now. Soon enough, the rest of the team would be here, and she would be needed. She could wait, or she could sleep. And after her time in that UNIT prison cell, Tosh really wasn’t that good at waiting. So, she curled into her husband’s embrace, allowing herself to drift off to sleep.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

He didn’t like to admit it (actually, he would rather die than ever admit to even having a heart), but he was worried about Jack, and not just in a ‘ _holy fucking hell, someone put a bomb in his gut, how in the hell did he come back from that_?’ kind of way. Sure, he was worried about how the situation and the stress would affect Esther’s pregnancy, about how Alice would handle having a sibling younger than her son, and he was worried about Steven … since this began, the boy had grown steadily much quieter and far angrier. He was even worried about how Ianto was reacting to the potential of being a father. That, in some ways, was even more terrifying than the prospect of going up against both the 456 and their unwitting (or not so unwitting) human allies.

But above all, he was worried about Jack. His relationship with the immortal had been strained in the beginning. He both loved and hated Jack, resented him and felt a curious protectiveness toward Jack. That all changed with the Year … no, that wasn’t right, either. That began with Abaddon’s rising, and the days Jack was dead after his final confrontation with the demon prince. It began with Alice’s vigil at her father’s side, her son in her lap or curled against Jack’s side, as if Steven’s warmth could bring his grandfather back to life … with the sight of Tosh almost literally flying into Jack’s arms … with those arms closing around him and holding him tightly, with Jack’s voice whispering that he was forgiven.

That was the beginning. But the Year gave him unexpected (and sometimes unwanted) time with his boss. Time that he often didn’t allow himself to remember. It was during those times, when Jack was lost to fevers, talking about things that he would have never spoken of while he was in his right mind, that Owen began to put the pieces of his captain’s past together, pieces that he hoped Alice would never hear about … pieces that he wished he hadn’t heard about. He heard about Gray, long before the pseudo-Gray came and tried to destroy everything that mattered to them, about the invasion which took most of Jack’s family from him and completely annihilated his childhood … and about the mother who blamed Jack for Gray’s disappearance (Gray later told him that their mother lashing out at Jack for her younger son’s loss ended up destroying their relationship as well. Owen bought him a drink for that).

That was the worst part, because it reminded Owen too much of his own mother. During those times, he would hold Jack tightly and tell him everything that he wished people told him. That was also the only time he could tell Jack just what he meant to him. Owen Harper was a bloke, and he didn’t take about his feelings. Except when he did. Except when his boss … his brave, loyal, aggravating boss … was unconscious or dead, and Owen was waiting for him to come back. And often, after one of Jack’s especially nasty deaths, Owen was in for quite a wait.

It was almost formulaic, after a while. Either the Master (talk about being poorly self-named) would conduct one of his experiments to see what Jack would come back from, or Jack goaded him into killing him to protect one of the others (often a member of Martha’s family, although he was known to protect the Doctor and other innocents on the Valiant, people who happened to get in the crossfire). By the end of the first month, Owen hated watching Jack die and come back … but it was far harder on Tosh and Alice … or, worse yet, Steven. The team learned the hard way to keep Steven away when Jack died, after the little boy tried to attack the Master for hurting his grandfather. It wasn’t just that the Master had no issue with harming a child … it was that he would harm Steven to torment Jack. And since Alice would die before she’d allow harm to come to her son … well, for the sake of all, Steven was kept far away from the Master.

They received unexpected help in that endeavor from the delusional Lucy Saxon, who seemed to fixate on Steven as her own son. Owen found it strange, but didn’t argue. You didn’t look a gift psycho in the mouth, an observation that made Jack smile when he’d revived one day. A quiet sigh from Alice distracted Owen from his reverie and he asked softly, “You okay, Mel?” She flashed him a small smile … probably not just at the question, but the nickname as well. He’d taken to calling her ‘Mel’ in quiet moments, when it was just the two of them. Suzie (and Jack) called her by her birth name of ‘Melissa,’ and while a pretty name, it didn’t really suit her. ‘Mel,’ on the other hand, did.

“Just trying to work through everything in my mind, Owen. I’ve been thinking a lot about my mum, since we found out that Esther is pregnant,” Alice admitted. Owen nodded. Yeah, he would imagine she was … thinking about her mother, and about her own pregnancy with Steven. However, Alice surprised him when she added, “I’m actually angrier now with her, even more so than when I first started find out the truth. I watch how Dad is with Esther … well, Ianto as well, but Dad … he’s so gentle and tender and sweet with her. I know he was no different with my mother, and …” She shook her head, her voice trailing off.

“And you wonder how she could have cut him out of your life, could have done that to both of you,” Owen completed and Alice nodded. He had no answers for her. He could have told her that Lucia was doing what she thought best for her daughter, but that rationalization range as empty to him as it did to Alice. He could have said a lot of things, reminded her of countless conversations over the years. But in the end, he did none of that. Instead, he reached across the short distance that separated the driver from the passenger, and squeezed her hand. Instead, he asked, “Do you think you’ll ever forgive her?”

“I don’t know,” she answered with a half-laugh that tore at Owen’s heart, “I don’t know, and that’s the worst part. I don’t tell Dad this, because I know it’ll break his heart, but I don’t know if I can forgive her. I …” Her voice trailed off again, as she looked out the window, but her fingers tightened around Owen’s. The doctor and his captain’s daughter sat in silence for several moments. Not for the first time, what he felt for this woman terrified Owen.

But he swallowed his fear once more, reminding himself that she wasn’t Diane. Death might remove her from his life, but she wouldn’t fly away, wouldn’t leave him voluntarily. Rephrase that. She might leave him, but she wouldn’t leave her son or her father … and Steven made it very clear that he thought Owen was the best thing to happen to his family since Alice opened her home and her heart to her father again.

At last, Alice broke the silence, telling Owen, “If Mum had just hurt me, I might have been able to forgive her. But she didn’t. She hurt me, she hurt Dad, and in the end, she hurt Steven. I see Dad’s eyes on me sometimes, like he’s afraid I’ll disappear … that I’ll turn on him again. I honestly don’t think I could survive, if I did that.” Owen thought about his own relationship with his mother, and thought about telling her that her own mum wasn’t that bad. But he held his tongue, because right now, it wasn’t about him.

Alice looked at him directly, tears sliding down her cheeks in silver streaks, and said hoarsely, “I want you to know this, Owen. If things do play out as they did in Dad’s nightmares, then whoever makes the suggestion to use my son? That person has to throw the switch themselves.” Owen swallowed hard, because he heard what went unsaid in Alice’s statement. The only way someone else would throw that switch was if they went through Jack first. They both knew that. But he had something to share with his companion.

“It won’t come to that, Mel. I need to run a few more tests, but I think I have a possible solution. And Tosh … you know Tosh, when she’s not dealing with the who, she’s dealing with the how. We said at the beginning, we won’t let Steven die … and we won’t. We all love that kid,” Owen reiterated, and oh God, did he just say THAT word? Alice was blinking at him, so evidently yes, he did say it, and he told her, “You didn’t just hear me say that. It was a figment of your imagination, because you didn’t get nearly enough sleep last night.”

Her lips twitched, and she answered gravely, “Of course. That must be it. We both know that Owen Harper never speaks the dreaded word that starts with ‘l’ and ends with ‘e.’ How very foolish!” In that moment, with her eyes twinkling and her lips curving up into a smile, she looked more like her father than she ever had before. That wouldn’t have been so bad, but Owen also never wanted to kiss her more than he did at that moment. What that said about him, he really wasn’t sure, but he _would_ be sure to take it out of Jack’s hide later. This was _all_ his fault. He _just_ knew that it was Jack’s fault!

He mock-grumbled, “It is, and don’t you ever forget it, either!” Now she actually laughed, and Owen mentally patted his back. More seriously, Owen told her, “I know better than to tell you not to worry. But have faith. Have faith in your dad, and in us.” Alice smiled, and again, Owen saw her father in her smile. Her fingers tightened around his as she allowed her head to drop back against the head rest, staring at the car in front of them (which happened to be the one carrying Jack, Ianto and Esther).

“I do have faith in you … I have faith in all of you. And, I have faith in myself. These bastards only think they have the upper hand on Torchwood. They’ll find out, the hard way as these people often have to, that we’re only just getting started. You snickered at me when I told John Hart that we came back twice as strong before, but I meant every word I said,” Alice told him. Owen remembered the case in point. They’d no sooner gotten back to the Hub after the Doctor dropped them off in Wales when they’d gotten a call about a Blowfish in a convertible.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Jack’s previous partner in the Time Agency, one John Hart, arrived and started causing trouble. Owen was still a bit in awe of the right hook Alice laid on the rogue Time agent after his initial scuffle with Jack. Ianto was a bit put out that she got there first, but then again, Jack was her father. He told Alice now, “I knew you meant what you said, but you gotta admit, luv, it sounded pretentious.” She ducked her head in embarrassment, still smiling, and Owen continued, “Still. He did help with the pseudo-Gray … after he brought him to Cardiff. Bloody hell, woman, stop laughing!”

But there was no heat in his words … at least not of that kind. And Alice continued to laugh, and Owen continued to tease her as the distance from Cardiff grew. He knew things were about to get ugly (or maybe ‘uglier’ would be a better way of putting it, considering they’d already blown up Jack and took out nearly an entire street). But for now, he was in a car with a beautiful woman … granted, he couldn’t do anything physical, but he could make her laugh, and that was something to be cherished, wasn’t it? Something to be cherished while they drove, while they waited to learn what their next move would be.

 

TBC


	12. In Your Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we have Jack confronting the 456; a few team members set to evacuating as many people from Thames House as humanly (or inhumanly) possible; while other allies and team members watch through Jack’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fought with this one for a while. I knew what I wanted to do, I knew how I wanted Jack to confront the 456 this time around. It was just a matter of getting there that proved to be a problem. That being said, don’t expect the conversation go the same way. I tried to include some lines I really liked, but it just felt wrong. So. You probably won’t recognize the dialogue this time around. I also needed to see if the idea I had for evacuating Thames House while Jack was confronting the aliens would work. The original idea, not so much, but considering how little information is out there regarding Thames House (rightfully so), my back-up idea held more water (no pun intended). In addition, we’ve had things going on at work that have interrupted my creative thinking. SO! I also want to pay homage to someone who was a big source of comfort when I was a teenager. Last Sunday, the lead singer of Survivor, Jimi Jamison, died of a heart attack at the age of sixty-three. It was Jimi who sang ‘I See You In Everyone,’ the source of the title of a previous story (From Every Direction, A Different Disguise), and I’ve spent the last week listening to my old Survivor CD’s. Rest in peace, dear man … you will never be forgotten.

Thames House, London, England

The following morning

 

 

A lone man stood before the invaders who threatened the planet under his protection, who did what blackmailers always do … demand more. He said nothing at first, choosing instead to make his silence a weapon. He stood alone, but he wasn’t really alone. Even now, his team was monitoring the situation through his eyes, at a safe distance … a very safe distance. Well, most of his team. Rhys Williams was helping to evacuate those who worked at Thames House, recruiting his two best friends to help him. The Harwood manager hadn’t explained to his friends why they were doing this … just that they couldn’t trust the terrorists to not to take out an entire building of people if they didn’t get their way. Which, when you thought about it, really was probably the best explanation there was, and all Banana Boat and Dafydd needed to know.

Ianto, Esther, Alice, Owen, Steven and Anwen … they were all safe in the one place their human opponents would never think to look. Tosh, Gray and Devin were at Buckingham Palace, and he pitied anyone stupid enough to try to harm them there. No, actually, he didn’t. The only people who were here with him, right now, were Suzie, Rhys, Banana Boat and Dafydd … and all four of them were quietly evacuating people even as he stood here. Late the previous night, he, Ianto and Esther scoped out the known exits (while Tosh and the Brig provided him with information regarding the unknown exits), and using that information, came up with a workable plan to get people out. It wasn’t perfect … it never was … _but_ it was better than any alternatives.

When Jack Harkness entered Thames House, he made sure everyone was watching him. Or, more accurately, he ensured that he made enough of an entrance that all eyes were on him … that way, no one was paying attention to Suzie and Rhys. That was Rhys’ one request when he agreed to help evacuate the people inside Thames House … he wanted Suzie with him. Jack agreed, especially when he remembered Ianto dying in the other reality. There was no way he would allow anyone to die with him … and that included the people who worked here. He was waiting for a specific signal from Rhys and Suzie, the one that told him everyone was out of the building safely. Then, and only then, would he truly confront the 456.

They didn’t like his silence, their movements growing ever more agitated in their tank. He could tell that, and Jack very carefully didn’t smile. He’d use any advantage he could take, even psychological ones. _Or_ , he thought, _maybe **especially** psychological ones_. When Suzie whispered that everyone who could be evacuated was and they were heading for the exits, Jack cleared his throat and stated firmly, “My name is Captain Jack Harkness, director of Torchwood Three. Earth is a class-five planet, and you are forbidden to be here. You will leave this planet immediately, and you will take none of our children with you when you go.”

The alien inside the tank thrashed, and hissed, “We know you.” Jack didn’t respond, although the dream was replaying itself inside his mind. But Ianto wasn’t at his side … he was safe. He and Esther were both safe. The employees of MI5 were getting to safety in a variety of ways. The only person at risk right now was Jack. The alien repeated, “We know you … we see you in the revenant.” The revenant. That was Clem McDonald … who was dead now, and Jack once more felt a dull ache at the thought of the lost man-child.

“Clem McDonald is dead. And if there are any mercies whatsoever in this world, it’s that he’s beyond anything you could do to him. I tell you again, you are not welcome on this planet and you are not welcome to our children,” Jack said firmly. Suzie whispered a confirmation that everyone was clear … confused, but out of the building. That was fine. They could be confused all they wanted, as long as they were alive. He turned his full attention to the 456, saying, “You want to take our children? We will fight you.”

“You will not. Your leaders will accede,” the invaders answered, and now Jack did allow a small smile to cross his features. He didn’t speak at first. He learned from his initial entrance that they didn’t like when he was quiet or didn’t seem to react to their words. Kinda like teenagers pushing to get a reaction from someone, which was ironic, considering what they used children for. Although, that posed an interesting theory … he didn’t know enough about the 456 to know whether he faced adults or adolescents. Jack thought the idea through, before mentally nodding. Again … whatever advantage he could get.

He had his plan. And if there was one thing he was good at (aside from the obvious), it was winging it. When the 456 grew the most agitated, Jack spoke once more, “I’m not talking about the so-called leaders on this planet. I’m talking about the individual mothers and fathers, who will fight you with their last breath for their children. I’m talking about the grandmothers and grandfathers, the aunts and the uncles, the neighbors and the communities. They … _we_ … will fight you to our very last breath, to our last bit of strength.” His voice remained firm and steady, keeping in his mind’s eye pictures of Alice and Steven, Devin and Anwen, and the unborn child Esther was carrying. He’d been furious when he learned about the initial swap, back in 1965 … he knew what would happen, even then. He was damned if it would happen again.

“Then you will die,” the thing inside the tank hissed. Jack didn’t react. His instincts told him that the aliens hadn’t attacked yet … and since he was betting mainly with his own life, he would trust those instincts. The alien thrashed all the more and now, Jack couldn’t understand what it was saying. Interesting. He wasn’t sure what it meant, if anything, and it wasn’t important. Besides, he happened to know that there were other people who were watching this, and that information would be of far more use to them than it was to him. With a small smile, Jack prepared to do something else he was good at … aggravating people. Aggravated, angry people made mistakes. It wasn’t a stretch to think that the same was true of other species … in fact, it was Jack’s experience that it was even _more_ true of other species. It was time to roll the dice and find out if that was the case this time.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

As Jack Harkness antagonized and taunted the 456 (and really, what was he thinking? Never mind, best not to ask), Suzie Costello Williams and her husband were leading nervous people out of Thames House. More than one person asked what was going on, they had a lot of work to do, but Rhys and Dafydd both eased their fears as much as possible. And they _were_ afraid. Suzie didn’t blame them all. In the same situation, if she didn’t know about Torchwood, she would have been terrified … a group of strangers entered through an entrance you didn’t even know existed and told that you had to evacuate a building, because there was a rather strong possibility that terrorists had entered upon invitation and would kill you because someone told them no? Oh, _definitely_ reason to be terrified and angry and more than a little confused.

“I hope like hell Jack knows what he’s doing,” Rhys grumbled. Suzie didn’t say anything. Partly because she agreed with him, and partly because she knew that he was as worried about Jack as she was. Rhys proved this a moment later, murmuring, “It’s like he thinks he needs to atone for whatever happened in his dreams. Yeah, it’s spooky, how many of the details are accurate, but he didn’t do anything wrong. It wasn’t his choice, and really, based on what I heard about what happened to Clem McDonald in reality, it might have been _better_ if Jack was there as he was in the dream.” In fact, Suzie was sure that things would have been far better for Clem McDonald if Jack was there.

“You know Jack. It’s not that he enjoys dying … but if given a choice between someone else dying and him, he’ll choose to die. He’ll _always_ choose to die,” Suzie answered softly, mindful of the people around them. Rhys didn’t look happy, and in truth, Suzie didn’t like it either. But Jack did what he had to do, because too much of the time, he was the only one who could do it. Suzie loved and hated him for it, but the man was nearly two hundred years old, and dammit, she didn’t want to be just another person in his life to demand that he change to suit her! She wouldn’t do that to Jack, he didn’t deserve it.

Something Rhys agreed with, as he sighed, “Bloody hell. You make it damn hard to stay mad at him.” Suzie grinned to herself as she continued to usher people forward. That wasn’t really true. Jack was the one who made it bloody hard to stay angry with him. Her husband continued after a moment, “I’m almost grateful for those dreams of his … those nightmares. They’re helping us to save a lot of lives.” Suzie nodded thoughtfully. It wasn’t the first time she thought such a thing, but it was the first time someone else said it aloud. Rhys added, “Then again, I’m not so sure that Ianto and Esther agree. Imagine they’ve been through a few of his nightmares.”

Suzie shuddered, because her husband had it right. And Rhys heard one of Jack’s nightmares as well. Nearly six months earlier, while Ianto and Esther were with Archie in Scotland, Jack ended up staying with the Williams family. Gray was fretting over Tosh, and Owen opted to man the Hub, kicking Jack out for the night (much to the immortal’s amusement). Suzie made up the bed in their spare room for her boss and friend, shooing him into the room when his innuendos stopped making sense.

Everything was fine for the first few hours, but around two am, Suzie and Rhys were awakened by screams of pain and terror coming from the spare bedroom. The second in command of Torchwood Three bolted out of bed and raced into the spare room, Rhys following a moment later with a frightened Anwen, and the associate director gave way to the friend as Suzie woke Jack up and calmed him down. As she was doing that, Rhys soothed Anwen, up until the moment that the little girl lunged for Jack. It seemed their little girl wanted her chance at making Jack feel better. Up until that moment, the moment they heard Jack screaming, Rhys hadn’t really understood why Owen kicked Jack out of the Hub.

But while Jack puttered around in their kitchen, needing something to do, Rhys murmured to Suzie as they set up fresh bedding on the sofa, “It isn’t healthy, him being underground like that and all alone. That’s why Owen made him come here … at least, as much as anyone is capable of making Jack Harkness do anything. And he wasn’t about to go to Tosh and Gray’s, not when Tosh is about to give birth any day now.” Suzie nodded, an apology on her lips, an apology that was never spoken, because Rhys put his finger over those lips. He added, “No. Never apologize, Suzie, not for that. I may not be Torchwood, but I see enough to realize that you lot take care of Jack when he allows you … and that you gotta be sneaky about it.”

Yeah. They had to be _real_ sneaky about it. Both then and now. Now, as they led a group of frightened, confused, angry people away from certain death …now, as Suzie realized that she would again hear her friend and boss and surrogate older brother sacrifice himself to save others. Others, who even if they knew, probably wouldn’t appreciate Jack’s sacrifice. They never did. But that was on them.

Suzie answered softly as they began to see the light of the exit, “No, they definitely don’t agree. Esther is yelling at Jack for being so damn Jack-like, and Ianto … actually, I’m not sure what Ianto is saying. My understanding of Welsh isn’t the best, but it doesn’t sound like he’s particularly happy.” She knew that her husband would be more than happy to translate, but she didn’t trust her own hearing. If Rhys wanted to know what Ianto was saying, he would have to ask his fellow Welshman himself. She observed after a moment, “Now Esther has started cussing Jack out in German. Huh. I didn’t know she spoke German … then again, she did major in International Relations.”

“You didn’t know she spoke German? Really? Heh. I found out when she helped us with a German client earlier this year. Completely charmed him, too.” Suzie rolled her eyes with a small, affectionate smile, even as Rhys continued, “I think she told me that she speaks Portuguese as well … something about a Brazilian roommate when she was in uni, or maybe it was a classmate.” Suzie blinked … how the hell did her husband find this out? Rhys shrugged, adding, “It was one of the things we talked about in our first meeting.” Their … oh. Their first meeting, in the cemetery, while Suzie was still in shock over Gwen Cooper’s grave marker.

“I keep learning new things about the people I work with. Just when I think I have them figured out, they throw me a curveball,” Suzie marveled, both intrigued and a little sad. She winced as a particularly … erm, pungent … curse erupted from Melissa. _Oh, Jack, what are you doing_? She had her answer a few seconds later when she, and the rest of the team, heard the distinct sound of a body hitting the ground. She flinched and looked at Rhys, who was watching her nervously. Suzie licked her lips and told her husband, “Right now, love, the best thing to do is to keep moving. Jack just died.” Even in the dim light of the torch, she could see her husband pale.

But, as he always did, Rhys carried on. His expression firmed and his shoulders squared. He nodded once, firmly, and said, “Right then. We make sure that he didn’t die in vain. Let’s get this lot out of here.” And once more, Suzie was reminded just why she loved this man so very much. She slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him once, leaning her head against his shoulder. Rhys in turn slipped a protective arm around her shoulders as they continued their march to safety. Suzie just hoped they managed to get most of the people in Thames House to safety … that there weren’t any stragglers.

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

By this time, he should have known better than to think he’d figured either of his lovers out. Jack was … well, he was Jack, and he’d lived a long time. But Esther? She was still capable of surprising him, and she was just a few months younger than he was. He’d known, of course, that she majored in International Relations. However, the fact that she spoke German and Portuguese (she’d flushed and claimed that she was competent at best, hardly fluent) … that, he’d not been expecting, and he would be talking to her about that. Just … later.

Right now, they were all seeing through Jack’s eyes, and it was tearing out Ianto’s heart to watch Jack die, again. Even as their captain crumpled to the ground, Tosh was quietly reporting that she was hacking into the cameras within the room. As she reported that, Ianto, Esther and Alice could hear Her Majesty telling someone that it was time to make their move. Ianto wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but that note of cold, controlled fury in their queen’s voice didn’t bode well for someone. Ianto had the sense that it was meant for their human enemies.

Alice’s quiet swearing turned Ianto’s attention to Jack’s daughter, and he bit back a smile at her rather creative invectives. Even Esther looked impressed, eyebrows winging up toward her hairline as she very carefully covered Steven’s ears, even after Alice segued into Italian. But, just like him, just like Esther, Alice’s anger was a convenient cover for what she was really feeling … fear and worry. His lover’s daughter collapsed against the back of the chair, looking exhausted and frustrated and worried, whispering, “Why? Why does he do these things? Doesn’t he understand what this does to us?”

It was something Ianto thought of many times before. Didn’t Jack understand that it hurt to watch him die, watch him suffer like that? But Harriet Jones, who sat on Esther’s other side, holding her hand, answered quietly, “What would you have him do, Alice?” All eyes turned to the former Prime Minister, who repeated, “What would you have him do? Was it absolutely necessary for Jack to confront the 456? Of course not. But what would have happened if someone else with a spine did confront them? Hmm? Why, the 456 would have made an example of them, and everyone else in the building. Does it hurt to watch him suffer? Yes. Of course it does. We love him … don’t you look away, Owen Harper, I dare say you love him far more than you’re willing to admit. But don’t demean his sacrifices. He doesn’t deserve that.”

Her words brought them all up short, aside from Francine, who was nodding her agreement. Ianto thought about the Jones family, and how many times Jack’s … distractions … protected her family. For the first time, he thought about how that must have made her feel … to watch Jack suffer because he was trying to protect her, trying to protect other innocents. Esther removed her hands from Steve’s ears. Seeing that she had their attention, Harriet reminded them, “Jack Harkness makes the hard, painful decisions … the decisions that only a few of us are strong enough to make. If you can’t support those decisions, and you can’t come up with anything better, then keep things to yourself and stay out of his way. If you can’t do that, then ask for Retcon.” Alice looked down at her hands, while Esther and Ianto shared a shamed look.

“Well said, my dear Harriet. I still cannot fathom why you didn’t fight the vote of no confidence more,” her Majesty said into the silence that followed. Harriet looked embarrassed, and her Majesty continued, “Now, to ensure that Jack doesn’t fall into the hands of certain individuals, I’ve dispatched Sir Alistair to Thames House. And pick your jaw up from the floor, Grayson … as soon as Jack told me of this other reality, I began making plans … especially when we learned about the fate of Miss Cooper!”

Esther managed a small smile at that, but it was Tosh who questioned, “Once the Brigadier gets Jack … what’s our next move? We still don’t have enough information on how the 456 are controlling the children.” That … was a very good question. He knew that in Jack’s false memories … the children. He must have spoken aloud, because Tosh asked with no small amount of concern, “The children … what about the children, Ianto?”

“They’re going to come for the children … to ensure that they’re turned over to the 456. The children whom they think don’t matter. Jack told me, after one of his nightmares. He told me that they tried to take the children by force. We have to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Ianto forced out. It was different this time. Not just because Ianto was alive, but because now, he was going to become a father … and that knowledge changed everything. He pictured the child he and Jack were having with Esther, and in that moment, he knew that Jack was right to have faced the 456 alone. Ianto could have gone out in a blaze of glory, so to speak, but his death would have solved nothing. He had a child to live for.

He looked at the others and stated determinedly, “We end this. And, your Majesty, forgive me for my bluntness, but once we do our job and end this threat … you’ll need to clean house. I know there are limits to your power, but I also know that just like the rest of your family, you’ve never ducked away from doing your duty.” As he glanced around, he saw the rest of his team … the rest of his _family_ … nodding in agreement.

“There is nothing to forgive, Ianto. I already have plans in place for once Torchwood is successful. And there is no doubt in my mind that you will be successful. For now, I think a status report is needed. Sir Alistair? Are you ready to retrieve Jack? Excellent … once he is your custody, if you would be so kind to update us? In the meantime, Dr. Harper, I believe you should go first. What have you found?” her Majesty asked. Ianto sat back, slipping his arm around Esther with a stunned smile, allowing the ultimate head of Torchwood to take control. Esther snuggled closer, resting her head on his shoulder. This was good, but they wouldn’t be complete until the final member of their triad was back with them.

 

TBC


	13. Worth the Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alistair and his team rescue Jack; Commander Johnson is set up; and Tosh tries to find a way to combat the aliens without sacrificing a child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to explore the relationship between Jack and Alistair in this chapter, and I got the first few lines written … and then it died on me. It stayed dead for several weeks, until I happened across something in a Spooks fanfic (aka MI-5). During the seventh season of the show, a new character was introduced, a protégé of main character Harry Pearce named Lucas North (played by the incredible Richard Armitage), who spent eight years in a Russian prison. In this particular fanfic, Lucas encounters a woman who realizes part of his healing will involve seeing what his sacrifice allowed. In other words, he didn’t go through hell for nothing. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that was what Jack and the rest of the team truly needed … the reminder that what they do is worth it. Thus, this chapter was truly born. Lucas himself snuck in there, but I didn’t kick him out. If having him meet Jack and Alistair averts the fate he met in canon, so much the better. The title comes from a Sherlock Holmes story, in which Holmes reacts rather violently to seeing Watson wounded.

In the beginning, he despised Jack Harkness. He was … too much. Too handsome, too flirtatious, too brash, too American (even though he wasn’t American at all). He’d been young, then, though … so very, painfully, young.   Entirely too young to see the shadows in the other man’s eyes. But as he grew up, as he matured and performed his duties, he began to see the other man as he was. He saw past the masks, saw past the charm, saw past everything that Jack Harkness used to distract people. He saw a soldier. He saw a man. He saw a brother.

They didn’t really become friends, however, until a horrifying mission that nearly ended not only Alistair’s career, but his very life. He hadn’t yet married Doris and it was a time when Fiona was being … difficult … about letting him see Kate. In truth, he couldn’t see anything worthwhile about humanity, or the sacrifices he and his men made to protect an ungrateful populace. Jack, no stranger to the exact same feeling, took him out to a hockey game once Alistair got out of hospital. They weren’t Captain Jack Harkness and Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, but two blokes enjoying an afternoon out.

During the game, Jack pointed out a young couple cuddling … two friends discussing the finer points of the game … a little girl sitting on her father’s lap, looking back and forth between his explanations and the plays. They stood and sang with the rest of the fans, and Alistair let it wash over him. Perhaps it wasn’t particularly subtle, but it was effective. These people … all of these people … they were alive because of Alistair and his men, because of the sacrifices they made, because they made the choices that so many (including their superiors) refused to make. It didn’t make everything automatically okay … nothing could do that … but Alistair could feel some of the tightness in his chest ease.

He was still angry. At everyone and everything, including himself. Maybe especially himself, because bloody hell, he was supposed to be better and stronger than this. After the game (and Alistair couldn’t remember who won or who lost), Jack took him back to the house that previously belonged to him and Lucia and just listened. He listened to what Alistair said and what he didn’t say. It wasn’t the last afternoon like that. It was just the first, and Jack being Jack, often did what others couldn’t do. He sacrificed himself to bring Alistair back to life … taking the hits, literally, when Alistair needed to release the frustration physically.

And now, Jack again sacrificed himself … this time to save the people within Thames House. Ordinary people who had no idea of what they were truly facing. Alistair shook his head, because this man suffered more than anyone should ever suffer during the last few days. And those responsible would face the consequences … oh, they would suffer the consequences for their actions! A dark-haired man (and temporary addition to his team) knelt beside the dead man, murmuring, “Does it usually take this long for him to come back? All the intel I’ve ever seen indicates that his revivals are nearly instantaneous.” There was curiosity and compassion and oh, yes, horror as well.

“It depends, lad. It once took him three days to return,” Alistair murmured and Lucas North of Section D cringed. Alistair had him on loan and what he would ask the boy to do next might break the already damaged young agent. Eight years he’d been imprisoned in Russia, and home only recently. But Alistair needed him and Harry Pearce owed Alistair. That was one reason why Alistair brought him on this part of the op. He needed to see exactly who exactly Jack Harkness was … needed to see what he did, how his resurrections hurt. He needed to see a human being, a brother who made the same kinds of sacrifices. And judging from the young man’s expression, he did indeed see that.

It was at that moment that Jack bolted upright with a gasp. Lucas immediately turned back to him, catching Jack by his shoulders, breathing, “Easy, mate … you’re safe.” Jack offered a wan approximation of his usual brilliant smile and Lucas added, “Flirt with me and I reserve the right to clout you. We don’t really need you awake for the next bit of this.” Jack’s smile grew a lot warmer, and Lucas actually blushed a bit, especially at the appreciative way Jack looked at him. Alistair was aware of just how attractive Lucas was to women … his daughter and wife both commented on it enough.

“Now, now lads … don’t make me separate you. Jack, this is Lucas North of Section D. I know, you’re not especially fond of MI-5 or MI-6 at the moment, but he’s not … he’s one of us,” Alistair observed. Jack and Lucas stared at each other, blue eyes meeting blue, before a gentle smile finally touched Jack’s lips. Lucas released Jack’s shoulders to offer his hand, a hand that was accepted and used to pull Jack to his feet.

“So, what’s next? Technically, you’re retired, Alistair … but technicalities have never really made a difference to you. You’re here at Lilibet’s request, aren’t you?” Jack asked, and Lucas jolted at Jack’s observation. Alistair merely rested a hand on the young man’s shoulder, smiling benignly at the immortal. Jack merely nodded … Alistair’s lack of answer was answer enough of its own, and repeated, “So, what’s next?”

“What’s next, my lad, is that we set a trap for Commander Johnson. Unfortunately for her, she’s not wise enough to spring that trap. And then, once we deal with our enemies, both foreign and domestic, Jack? We’re going to remind you of why it’s worth the sacrifices … why it’s worth the wounds. I know your young Esther is pregnant, but we’re going to remind you why you should bring a child into this world, and why it’s worth fighting for,” Alistair told the immortal firmly. Lucas began to smile at that, and Alistair winked at him. Jack looked from the retired UNIT general to the young MI-5 agent at his side.

“I don’t get any say in this, do I?” he asked with a mischievous grin. Lucas and Alistair both shook their heads, and Jack added, “Then let’s get this trap set. We don’t have much time left.” That, Alistair thought, was painfully true. He was supposed to return Lucas to Harry by the end of the following week for a debriefing and Alistair was determined not only to honor his word, but to make sure Harry got an earful.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

“The cheese has been taken.”

Toshiko Sato-Harkness wasn’t entirely sure about the plan which the Queen and the Brigadier concocted … but this wasn’t her responsibility. No, her responsibility was to run every possible scenario with the information they had, including the frequency used by the extraterrestrial threat. Four … five … six. She wasn’t doing this just because it was her job … but because if those bastards weren’t stopped, once and for all, this time … the next time they came back, it could be Devin’s life on the line. She would NOT allow that to happen. The idea of this Johnson bitch getting her slimy hands on Tosh’s baby boy was enough to fire her blood. Not again. Never again.

“How’s it coming, love?” Gray asked softly, resting his hands on her tight shoulders. Tosh tried to relax, but her rage and her fear kept her muscles tense. Gray didn’t speak for several minutes, choosing instead to rub his thumb back and forth across the nape of her neck. It was something he started while she was pregnant with Devin and couldn’t relax. Gray kissed the top of her head, something that reminded her so much of Jack, it brought tears to her eyes. But she leaned back into her husband’s arms, sighing quietly.

“Not good. I keep thinking that if I could figure out what it is about children’s brains that makes them the perfect vessel for these bastards, I’d be able to synthesize it. But it’s not working. I can’t isolate what chemical is in their brains,” Tosh admitted. She hated admitting when she didn’t know something … she felt as if she was letting Jack down somehow. And especially in this case, she felt as if she was letting down Devin. There was a racket, and Tosh could have sworn that she could hear Owen’s voice, but she ignored it. That was a distraction, and she couldn’t afford a distraction now.

“Okay, time for a break, m’girl,” Gray decided, physically pulling her away from the computer screen. Tosh didn’t even have the energy to protest, not after seeing/hearing Jack die. Again. She went into her husband’s arms, clinging to him with all of her (meager) strength. Gray hummed and rested his chin atop her head. He murmured, “Listen to me, Toshiko. These idiots have been trying to get this worked out for the last forty years. You’ve been working on it for less than a week, and you’ve still made more progress than they have.”

“He’s right, Tosh,” Owen said, and the couple drew apart as Owen, Ianto, Esther, Alice and Steven entered, with Harriet Jones and Francine trailing behind. Anwen was asleep in Esther’s arms, the young woman cradling her protectively. Tosh noticed the two that were missing, and Owen observed, “Suzie and Rhys will be here as soon as they can. Right before they left to evacuate Thames House, Suzie literally dumped the baby in Esther’s arms and told her that it was time to practice being a mum.”

Tosh snickered, because she could literally hear Suzie saying just that. Esther rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Tosh, and the tech returned the favor, allowing herself a small laugh as she did. Unexpectedly, or maybe not so unexpectedly, Tosh felt just a bit better. She still felt pressured (she was still worried sick and scared out of her mind), but it was a touch easier for her to breathe. That reminded her. She let her arms drop from her husband’s waist, and Gray obligingly released her as she turned to face Esther more fully (of course, Gray took that opportunity to wrap his arms around her waist from behind). Tosh smirked at the younger operative, observing, “You know, I just realized … we never welcomed you to being a mummy.”

“Yes, we did … you just weren’t there at the time. Gray, it’s good to see you. Alice, why don’t you get the younglings put to bed? Yes, Steven, I know you’re worried about your grandfather, but the Brig will look after him … I promise. What’s the latest information? Her Majesty briefed us on what was happening at Thames House … has anything new occurred?” Harriet Jones asked. Tosh thought briefly about asking where the Queen was, but decided that it wasn’t any of her business. Besides, Tosh answered to the Queen … not the other way around.

“We just heard from the Brig a few minutes ago, telling us that Commander Johnson took the bait. I’m honestly not sure what that means, the Brig didn’t tell us the plan before he left, but I have a feeling that he’s playing rope-a-dope with her,” Gray explained. Tosh thought, rather uncharitably (and she made no apology for that), that what her husband really meant was, ‘rope a bitch.’ Or maybe even ‘rope a cunt.’ She was someone who didn’t ordinarily approve of such ugly names, but most women didn’t put a bomb inside another human being … nor did most women intend to put that man in concrete. So far as she was concerned, Commander Johnson was barely human, much less a woman.

“What it means is that Jack is playing a role. It seems that dear Commander Johnson is starting to question the orders from her superiors. Unfortunately for her, it’s too little, too late,” Harriet answered and Tosh raised her brows. The former Prime Minister offered a tight, cold smile as she added, “Events have already been set into motion, Toshiko. When the 456 have been dealt with, it will be Commander Johnson’s turn, and Her Majesty has no intention of playing nicely. You’ve never seen Her Majesty truly angry. It is my sincerest hope that you never do, either.” Well. That was rather cryptic, but Tosh found that the information provided was what she really wanted to know. Commander Cordelia Johnson would pay for what she’d done … to Jack, to Francine, and to that poor little boy. She would pay … and so would those who controlled her.

 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 

Alistair’s plan was simplicity itself. Lucas would pretend to have captured Jack after the virus was released into Thames House (and Jack still hadn’t stopped thanking Suzie and Rhys in the silence of his mind for getting those innocent civilians out). According to the handsome MI-5 agent, it seemed that the commander was rethinking her loyalties and her orders. And according to Alistair, it was entirely too late. Commander Johnson’s fate was sealed the moment she acted against an innocent civilian (namely, Francine Jones) … if she was fortunate, she would be exiled. If not, she would face the same death she would have sentenced Jack to. Jack honestly didn’t know what was more chilling … the woman’s death sentence or the quiet, matter-of-fact way Lucas North described what would happen to her. What had the man experienced that would permit him to speak that way?

But he wasn’t unmoved. There was a sadness in the bright blue eyes when he spoke of his colleague’s ultimate fate. He didn’t like it, but he also wouldn’t speak against the Queen’s decision. And this was the Queen’s decision. Jack grieved not only for the young MI-5 agent now guiding him to his temporary prison cell, but for the woman who didn’t realize she was losing her soul. Lucas whispered as he nudged Jack inside that he would come for him just as soon as possible … and they would use the interim wait as time bought for Jack’s team.

Lucas knew what was at stake. Jack didn’t know when he was told about the coma dreams, but he knew what was at stake, and he quietly swore to Jack that he would sacrifice his own life before he’d allow a child to die … any child. He squeezed Jack’s shoulder before leaving the immortal alone with his thoughts. And he had many thoughts. Things were going so differently than they did in his coma dreams, and yet, there were still too many things that were the same. Alice didn’t hate him … he wasn’t suffocated in concrete … and Ianto was still alive.

Ianto. Jack exhaled slowly and allowed his head to rest against the wall. He wondered if Ianto forgave him yet for forcing him to stay with Esther. It didn’t matter, not really. He would far rather have Ianto hating him for the rest of his life and being alive than … Jack swallowed hard. Ianto was alive. Esther was alive (and he would find a way to save her when the Families struck, he swore it). Alice didn’t hate him. The Queen and the Brigadier stood firmly at his side. And now, he had a new ally in the form of Lucas North.

But Clem McDonald was still dead. Those children were still turned over in 1965. And even though he didn’t have a hand in it, it still happened and … and knowing that his hands were clean this time around didn’t help. Him having clean hands didn’t help Clem McDonald at all. It didn’t spare the man-child even a little bit of suffering. Whether he was involved or not, it seemed that the 456 was a fixed point in time and space. Which led him to the next thought. The unleashing of Abaddon in 1965. Jack couldn’t shake the feeling that Abaddon was unleashed deliberately. But the question was why? He wasn’t in town at the time … he came back to face Abaddon, because he was the only one who could. So who would do it … and why?

That could wait. He was also concerned about the Families. They would be striking soon, and while he knew with everything he was that his blood had nothing to do with his immortality, he couldn’t deny that he was able to … well, he hadn’t forgotten that his kiss brought Ianto back after the Cyberwoman using Lisa’s body killed him. He wasn’t the first … he wouldn’t be the last. Jack shook his head. He couldn’t prevent the Families from rising … that was put into place from the moment he returned for Angelo. But he could and would put plans and people into place ahead of time to take their entitled asses down.

And what of Angelo? Would he have a chance to say what Angelo needed to hear, while Angelo was conscious and able to respond? He had forgiven Angelo years ago … not long after the incident happened. Jack huffed a decidedly unamused laugh. What a way to refer to that horrific night … the incident. But if he thought too much about it, or the hatred he encountered on that night (and too many others) … well, it was best for everyone concerned if he didn’t think about it. For that matter, how would the Colasantos go about getting his attention? Angelo should know him well enough to realize that appealing to his curiosity was the best way to bring him to his side. For her sake, Jack hoped that his granddaughter (if Olivia Colasanto existed in reality) didn’t try to take Rhys or Anwen. She wouldn’t survive what Suzie would do when they came face to face. It would actually be entertaining, watching his second opening a can of whoop-ass on the heiress.

Again, that would have to wait. First, he had to deal with the 456 and this particular group within MI-5. A glance at his watch told him that it had been three hours since Lucas left him to work his magic on Johnson. Jack smirked to himself, wondering if the young man could charm her. Well, if anyone could do it (aside from Jack), it would be Lucas. Jack wondered how hard it would be to recruit the still-traumatized agent to Torchwood. He didn’t know Harry Pearce that well, but based on what he did know of the man, Jack didn’t think it was likely that Pearce would let Lucas go without one helluva fight. That was fine. If there was one thing Jack enjoyed, both professionally and personally. Besides, he had a feeling that Pearce would have his hands full with the fallout from the 456. That could increase Jack’s challenge in bringing Lucas to Torchwood.

The sound of footsteps alerted him to the fact that he was no longer alone, and Jack looked up from his quiet contemplation to find Lucas North and Johnson on the other side of the bars. Lucas stood just behind the woman (who, when all was said and done, Jack really couldn’t condemn. God knew he had plenty of blood on his hands). Johnson said, her eyes never leaving his face, “North says that you’re the best person to bring this to an end. Don’t … don’t make me regret this.” Jack rose to his feet as Lucas unlocked the cell, allowing himself a tiny smile. It was time for endgame.

 

TBC 


	14. The Breakthrough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Tosh makes a breakthrough and the Queen makes a request; Lucas gets a message from the Brig; while Angelo Colasanto begins preparations of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are heading into the home stretch! I anticipate having three more chapters, at most, after this … as things stand now, everything goes down in the next chapter; the following chapter is the aftermath; and the epilogue will be where we’ll find all final explanations (for this story, at least). I’m thinking the title for the epilogue is ‘Worst Case Scenario,’ which will start to answer why Jack had the dreams he did while he was buried alive. (So if you’re worried that I’ll be killing off Ianto in the finale, that’s not the case at all) I’ve started outlining and planning the final story in the ‘Themes and Variations’ series, which will be my re-write of ‘Miracle Day.’ The title for that is ‘The Culling,’ and the source of the Miracle (or, more appropriately, the Abomination) will be far, far different. I hope you’ve enjoyed Lucas North’s appearance in this story, because he’ll be helping Jack and Torchwood take down the Families in ‘The Culling.’ And a more complete explanation of why that title, what prompted it, along with a few other interesting tidbits) will follow. Seeing ‘Miracle Day’ isn’t a necessity, especially since I’ll be making quite a few changes to the storyline. My intent is to finish this story before I leave for Italy … no promises, but I think I’ll come close.

“I’ve got it!”

Owen Harper ceased his pacing (and occasional glower at his boss’ grandson when the boy snickered at his pacing) when Toshiko Sato-Harkness blurted out that game-changing sentence.  He stopped and turned to face her.  She was beaming, looking exhausted and relieved and triumphant.  Owen closed his eyes, quietly giving thanks to whoever was listening.  He wasn’t convinced anyone was listening … he also wasn’t convinced that no one was listening.  Truly, those were, without a doubt, the sweetest words Owen Harper could have heard, given the circumstances.  For the last three hours, Tosh chased down every lead she could find about the frequency of the 456 (and how to destroy them), while Lucas North worked his own magic on Commander Johnson, trying to convince her that Jack held the key to dealing with these bastards.  Evidently, this North bloke was either very charming or very determined.  When he made this observation, Esther raised her eyebrows, asking, ‘ _Who says he can’t be both_?’  _Too much information there_ , he thought sourly at the time, _entirely too much information_.

Tosh paid no attention to the bantering and bickering that released tension and distracted them all from their worries, focusing only on the puzzle in front of her and painfully aware of the sacrifice Jack was making to buy her time.  Owen watched her with a small, fond smile.  Not for the first time, the doctor wondered what his life would have been like, if he’d gotten his head out of his arse where Tosh was concerned.  After a moment, however, he shook that off.  He very much doubted if he could have made Tosh nearly as happy as Gray did … and he couldn’t regret his growing relationship with Alice, as strange as it was to think of Jack as a potential father-in-law.  Right.  And leave it at that, because when he started thinking about things like that, he started getting twitchy.  Things were twitchy enough right now, without adding him to it.

He was still trying to distract himself from that line of thought when Tosh’s excited voice rang out, drawing everyone’s attention.  He exchanged a look with Alice, who was cuddling her baby cousin, while Esther played a game of some kind with Steven.  Almost immediately, everyone crowded around the tech, but before she had a chance to launch into an explanation, the Brig observed, “Excellent work, my dear girl.  Would it possible for you to put that on another computer?”  Tosh frowned thoughtfully, not following his train of thought, and the man whom Owen privately considered an elder statesman where UNIT was concerned went on, “Given the efforts to keep Torchwood out of the way, I think we should have a back-up of that program.”

“So that even if things go pear-shaped,” Gray said slowly, following the Brig’s words to their logical conclusion, “we can still blow these bastards out of the sky … ‘scuse my language, ladies.”  The women in question all nodded.  Gray glanced at his wife, who gladly accepted her son from Alice, asking, “Tosh, sweetheart, is it possible?  Or rather, is it something that you can do in the time we have left?”  Owen felt the corners of his lips lift in a wry smile at Gray’s backpedaling.  Smart man.  Tosh could be a menace with those computers of hers.

“It shouldn’t take me more than thirty minutes.  Is there a computer nearby you wanted to use, sir?” Tosh asked.  Owen blinked a little at the honorific, and then tried to look at things from Tosh’s perspective.  He hadn’t known about it until later, but it was the Brig who alerted Jack to Tosh’s imprisonment at the hands of UNIT.  ‘ _The girl is brilliant, Jack_ ,’ he’d said, ‘ _she committed a crime, but UNIT was wrong as well.  My hands are tied … I’ve spoken for her as much as they’ll allow me to do so … but yours aren’t_.’  If anyone deserved the honorific, Owen decided, it would be the Brigadier.

The Brig smiled slowly and replied, “Indeed I do, my dear … indeed I do.”  Oh … shit.  Owen worried when people like the Brig smiled like that.  It reminded him that this was not a man to be underestimated, and you underestimated him at your own peril.  It also reminded him to be very, very grateful that he was on their side.  The older man continued, “I’ll take you to the computer I think you should use, and while you set up, Lucas will be contacted.” 

“I want you to show me what needs to be done, Toshiko,” her Majesty added.  Tosh blinked, cuddling Devin close, and their Queen went on, “These monsters are threatening my planet, my country, my people.  It is my duty … no, my privilege and my honor … to put an end to them, if need be.”  _General translation_ , Owen thought, _she’ll trust us to do our job, but she wants to be ready to do her job if something happens on our end_.  A glance toward Tosh told him that their tech came to the same conclusion he did … and that she agreed with the queen.

“Of course, your Majesty, it would be an honor.  Alice, can you take Devin again, please?” Tosh asked and Owen’s lady nodded, easing her cousin from his mother’s arms.  For the first time, it occurred to Owen that technically speaking, Tosh was Alice’s aunt by marriage.  He promptly instructed himself not to think about that, because if he continued on that line of thought, he’d end up breaking his brain.  That didn’t stop him, however, from wondering how Gray handled having a niece who was older than he was … much less having a grand-nephew, when he was not much past thirty himself.  Definitely brain-breaking thoughts, there.

Sir Alistair bowed to Tosh, offering his arm, which she accepted with a bright smile.  He told her, “Then come along … it is time, and long past time, for us to take back our world from these child-stealers!”  He offered his free arm to the queen, with Gray bringing up the rear (and the laptop).  The four left the room, and Owen quietly rejoiced.  Despite the preparations beforehand, it felt as though they’d spent so much time reacting.  Now?  Now, it was time to act.  And may God have mercy on Johnson, because he _knew_ Tosh wouldn’t!

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

The Brig’s timing was nothing short of inspired.  His phone buzzed just as Commander Johnson was heading to get the keys that would unlock the cell currently inhabited by Jack Harkness.  The immortal could have escaped at any time … Lucas North knew that.  He knew that like he knew the tattoos that decorated his body, the way he once knew his ex-wife’s body.  If Jack Harkness really wanted to escape, he would have done so.  He was in that cell because it suited his purposes to be there, and that was a man to be wary of … if you were enemies.  Lucas knew, after less than a day, that he had no desire to be regarded as an enemy by Jack Harkness.

_It would be_ , he conceded, _ridiculously easy to underestimate the man_.  Lucas probably would have, if the Brig hadn’t told him about the insanely true stories that surrounded the other man.  Not everything, naturally.  But enough.  Harkness still had most of his sanity, even after his countless deaths and revivals, God only knew how many betrayals and attempts to use him in the name of science.  And then there was what Johnson did to him, what she would have done to him if she’d been allowed to get her hands on him.  Lucas shuddered, because he thought he knew what humans were capable of doing to each other … but this?  This was beyond his comprehension.

When he answered his mobile, the Brig said only two words, “It’s time.”  Which meant that Torchwood had the answer, and they were ready to move.  Lucas quietly said a prayer of thanksgiving … this nightmare was almost over.  Not that he objected to working with Sir Alistair.  The man was a legend even in MI5, and someone whom Harry greatly respected.  No, working with Sir Alistair wasn’t the problem.  This situation, though … that was something else entirely.  Lucas wasn’t a fool, he knew that many of MI5’s actions could be deemed questionable.  He made his peace with that a long time ago.  They got their hands dirty, so others didn’t have to.

But this … Lucas shook his head.  Johnson emerged with two of her men, the keys to the cell in her hand (which she slapped into his hand), and he fell into step beside her.  He remembered his conversation with Ros, not long after his return from Russia … _lovers leave, friends annoy you, families mess with your head, but colleagues are okay_.  He wondered what Ros would have made of this woman, and decided he probably didn’t want to know.  Instead, he focused on the job ahead.  As Johnson and Lucas approached the cell, Harkness looked up.  He looked … at peace.  His lips quirked as his eyes met Lucas’, and the MI5 agent responded with an impish grin and a wink.  He gently nudged Johnson out of the way as she said, “North says that you’re the best person to bring this to an end. Don’t … don’t make me regret this.”

Harkness rose to his feet when Lucas unlocked the cell, but he said nothing at first.  Rather, it was Lucas who murmured as the immortal joined them, “It won’t be Harkness you’ll need to fear, Commander Johnson.”  She looked at him, obviously startled, and Lucas continued smoothly, “He has powerful friends … friends who are not pleased with the way things have played out over the last few days.  You’ve only bought yourself time, if you’re lucky ... a quick death, if you aren’t.”  It wasn’t a threat.  It was a statement of fact.  It was something he knew.

“Am I supposed to be afraid of you?” she asked as they fell into step behind Harkness, Lucas keeping his eye on the man’s billowing coat.  He merely smiled to himself, even as she continued, “Because I’m not.  You can’t frighten me.”  Lucas turned his head, just enough to look at her, and she paused in mid-step.  She repeated, paling ever so slightly, “You don’t frighten me at all, Mr. North.”  _The lady doth protest too much_ , Lucas thought.  He always hated when that line was quoted, as it was so overused, but in this case, it fit.

“As I said.  It isn’t me you need to fear.  In this situation, I’m just a tool.  It’s the hand that wields me that you need to worry about.  So think about this.  Sir Harry Pearse is my immediate boss, but he didn’t place me on this assignment.  I was requested by someone much higher, someone who isn’t working on John Frobisher’s behalf or on Brian Greene’s behalf, but someone they both answer to.  Someone who regards Jack Harkness as a friend … someone who was greatly infatuated with him when she was a young girl,” he answered.

She knew exactly whom he meant.  He almost had to give her credit for not backing down, especially when she said quietly, “I did my duty.  Just as you have.”  Lucas noted the tension in the broad shoulders of the man in front of them, but didn’t call attention to it, to him.  The woman added, “I am a tool in this situation, just as you are.  Don’t try to tell me that you would have done any differently.  Don’t pretend to be better than you are.  Do you think other people didn’t guess what you did to get out of Russia?”

Lucas merely raised a brow.  _Really_?  He was supposed to be quaking with fear because other agents in MI5 realized that he played Arkady Kachimov?  Oh, he was sure that some of the more idealistic agents would be shocked and horrified, but they would learn.  However, he didn’t speak.  In part because Harkness called over his shoulder, “Right now, you’re both my tools … and if I didn’t have Ianto and Esther waiting for me, I wouldn’t mind wielding you myself, North.”  Lucas worked very hard not to laugh out loud at that remark, especially when he saw the look on Johnson’s face.  After what she put the man through, that was the absolute least she deserved.  In fact, the spook believed that there was nothing wrong with him adding to it.

Which was why Lucas bantered right back, “Actually, you surprise me a bit, Captain Harkness.  I would have thought that you would have invited me to join you and your partners.”  He was rewarded with a bright grin thrown over the other man’s shoulder as Harkness continued to move forward.  Lucas continued, as if he was giving this serious thought, “Truthfully, while neither you nor Jones is my type, Miss Esther Drummond is quite lovely.”  One of Johnson’s men gave a strangled sound, and Lucas didn’t look anywhere but forward as he continued, “Then again, you and Jones would have to be something special for her to be with you both.”

“In case you aren’t aware, Mr. North, there is far more at stake here than just Captain Harkness’ libido!” Commander Johnson snapped.  Lucas rounded on her, not hesitating to use his height to his advantage.  In other words, yes … he loomed over her.  She didn’t back down at all … merely stared up at him challengingly.  In front of them, Captain Harkness stopped, watching them both curiously. Most of his attention was on Lucas, however, and the spook would work out what his expressions meant later.  Johnson’s men were restless, but didn’t interfere.

“In case _you_ weren’t aware, Commander Johnson, you put Captain Harkness and his team through hell.  So I’m really not concerned with whether you’re uncomfortable or not.  In fact, I’m glad you are.  It means you still have something of a soul left in you.  Both of us, Captain Harkness and I, are fully aware of everything that is going on.  Captain Harkness has been aware since you murdered a man for no other reason than he knew something that your superiors feared … since you decided to put a bomb inside him to ‘contain’ him,” Lucas hissed.

“Kids, we don’t have time for this.  Lucas, I appreciate the sentiment, but we still need her,” Captain Harkness observed quietly.  _Still need her_.  Lucas looked at the older man.  Oh.  He hadn’t even considered that possibility.  However, the immortal wasn’t a fool.  He was playful, but he wasn’t stupid, and once he mentioned to Johnson that the captain had powerful friends, Harkness knew that Johnson wouldn’t get off lightly.  And ‘ _I was just doing my duty_ ’ wouldn’t play well with the Queen.  Not at all.

“Sorry, Captain.  According to the Brig, your tech girl has it figured out, and they’ll be meeting us,” Lucas answered.  He had the distinct pleasure of seeing Johnson’s mouth drop open, while her men shifted uneasily.  His eyes met the captain’s, and Harkness inclined his head, ever so slightly.  _Make it quick_ , he seemed to be saying.  Lucas told the men, “You see, Captain Harkness here agreed to play decoy, to buy his tech time to find out a way to stop these bastards.  General translation, we played you like a violin.  I’m just sorry it’s too late for the men who died trying to take the HUB.”  Johnson paled at that.

Sir Alistair told him about that as well, about the second wave against the underground Torchwood base … the one that ended when the Torchwood Weevil (as he heard others in Sir Alistair’s unit called her, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to meet her … she sounded terrifying) chose to protect the base and the captain, for reasons known only to her.  He still didn’t know how many of Johnson’s men died, trying to take the base.  Harkness and his people were treated like the enemy, and that was not okay with Lucas.  At all.  In his mind’s eye, he could see Ros’ expression, could hear her voice answering, ‘ _colleagues are okay_.’  Jack Harkness was his colleague, but … He told the woman even now glowering at him, “We may work for the same organization, but I don’t regard you as a colleague.  I regard you as an enemy.”  In fact, so far as he was concerned, she was no better than Connie James … in fact, when he thought about it, she was actually worse, because Connie sacrificed herself to save others.

“That can wait, Lucas.  We’re running out of time,” Captain Harkness said softly, and Lucas nodded.  As he once more began to follow the captain, the other man murmured, “Not that I’m really upset or anything … you just bought my team a little more time to get here.  I’m afraid they’re going to try to sacrifice a child anyhow, no matter what we do.”  Lucas nodded.  That was his concern as well.  It was Harry’s job to see the big picture, but he knew humanity well enough to know that there could still be trouble.  He would be ready, though. 

“We’ll deal with it, if that’s the case.  I meant what I said, Captain.  You’re a colleague,” Lucas answered softly.  The immortal didn’t know the full story behind that comment, as Lucas knew well, but he understood enough.  He understood that even if Sir Alistair brought him into this, given a choice between Johnson and Harkness, he would choose Harkness without a second thought.  He added, just because he needed to, “That doesn’t mean you’re getting in my trousers.  Four’s a bit much for one bed, I think.”

“Oh, I don’t know about _that_ , but I’ll respect your decision.  And if you ever change your mind, the offer remains.  I don’t think Ianto or Esther will mind … but that depends on how her pregnancy progresses,” Harkness mused, and Lucas rolled his eyes.  But he easily kept pace with the other man, trying very hard to erase the images that popped up in his head at the captain’s words.  The man was a menace … an absolute menace.  Definitely a colleague.  No question.

 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

 

It was _finally_ coming to an end.  The years since that horrific night when he saw the worst of humanity … the years of quietly watching over the man he wronged so terribly and keeping his distance.  It was all coming to an end.  The Families would strike soon.  He could _feel_ it.  He was a very old man now, very different from the boy who stole from Jack Harkness on Ellis Island.  And yet, at the same time, Angelo Colasanto was the same.  He still loved Jack Harkness … never stopped, in truth, something his wife knew from the moment they met and always  accepted.  Unlike their granddaughter, his wife actually loved him more for that.  _You still love him, after all these years_ , she said to him once, _that kind of loyalty is beyond rare_.  She knew that he didn’t love her the same way he loved Jack … but that didn’t mean that he loved her any less.  He loved his wife deeply, for her kindness and for her acceptance of him in all things, even the things that made her uncomfortable.  His love for other men … his betrayal of Jack.  She loved him and she accepted him, and in truth, the only thing that kept Angelo from joining his Ginevra was the culmination of all his work.

Earlier today, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second of the United Kingdom, made a request of him.  She hadn’t called him directly … rather, she acted through her proxy in this matter.  The initial phone call came from Harriet Jones, with whom Angelo had been working ever since Harry Saxon became Prime Minister of the UK.  He quite liked Harriet, and was shattered to learn that she nearly died during the recent Dalek incursion.  To think, he could have lost one of his dearest friends, and would have never known about it.  It didn’t bear thinking of.

Her Majesty told him, once Harriet left the room (something about checking on the children), that it was her intention to return Harriet to the office of Prime Minister, once this was all over.  Angelo asked curiously if that was actually something she could do (he had no idea how much power she actually had), and her Majesty answered that she had faith that the Prime Minister would do the right thing.  That … actually made Angelo nervous.  However, it wasn’t his place, and in truth, he really didn’t care what was done to the man.  His concern was with someone else.  That was part of what her Majesty wanted to talk about.

The other part was the Families.  Her Majesty wanted to know what they could expect from the Families, and Angelo had to admit that he didn’t know, not as much as he would have liked to.  It would help if he could get someone on the inside, but thus far, all of his attempts to infiltrate their ranks failed miserably.  Her Majesty hummed thoughtfully and advised she might be able to assist with that.  Angelo would appreciate any assistance she could provide, and said as much.  However, he knew that she wouldn’t be able to assist with something much closer to home … his granddaughter Olivia. 

Angelo was no fool.  He knew of his granddaughter’s resentment toward his former lover.  More to the point, she was jealous of him.  Olivia was always extremely close to her grandmother, and she regarded his feelings for Jack as a threat to his love for Ginevra.  Foolish girl (never mind that she was past fifty … she was still a girl to him, and always would be).  How was it possible that she still didn’t understand that his love for Jack didn’t impact his love for Ginevra?  So yes, he feared that his granddaughter would do something incredibly … unfortunate, and end up helping the Families, however inadvertently.

That was his responsibility, not the queen’s.  Somehow, after his son died, he failed his granddaughter.  He still didn’t know what he did, or what he failed to do, but it was up to him to prevent Olivia’s jealousy from putting them all at risk.  And if he couldn’t prevent whatever plan she was cooking up, then he would find a way to blunt it.  Angelo would need help with that, but he would have to be very, very careful indeed.  It pained him, to be so at odds with his granddaughter, but in this case, it simply couldn’t be helped.  This was entirely too important to risk Olivia being foolish over something that, when all was said and done, had absolutely nothing to do with her.

There was another possibility … rather than trying to prevent her actions, or blunt any consequences, there was a third option.  He could use her plans to his benefit.  He’d been doing that for years, after all, aside from the Families … using the plans of others to benefit himself and those he protected.  Yes … yes, that had very strong possibilities.  And the more he thought about it, the better Angelo liked it.  The growing chasm between himself and his granddaughter grieved him … not just because Olivia was family, but because she clearly thought him a fool.  He taught her everything he knew … and she wasn’t expecting him to see through her?  Foolish, foolish girl.  One could also look at it as, he was paying for raising her the way he did.

_No, my love_ , Ginevra whispered to him on the breeze, _this is not your doing.  We raised Olivia properly.  Her own jealousy poisoned her soul … focus on protecting Captain Harkness from the Families, not whatever shortcomings you think you’ve demonstrated as a parent_.  Angelo closed his eyes and nodded, allowing the breeze to caress his face, as Ginevra did while alive.  As the days passed, he heard her voice more and more often, and sometimes …  sometimes, he even saw her.  She would be sitting upon his desk, as she did throughout the years of their marriage.  And she was young … so very young.  As young as the day he first met her, still reeling from that night of blood and betrayal.  She had saved him, his Ginevra.

“I’ll be there soon, Ginevra,” he murmured, “it won’t be much longer.”  She smiled at him, once more appearing at his desk, tucking her feet up under her body.  So beautiful, his Ginevra.  He went on, “I don’t think I ever told you, how grateful I was to you, for understanding why I had to watch over Jack.  My … I put him in that position.  And then I didn’t believe him about the men at first.  But you always believed in me, always understood how badly I needed to atone for what I did.  You understood … Olivia never truly has.”

_Oh, my Angelo.  You wouldn’t have been the man I loved so very much if you didn’t watch over Captain Harkness.  I’ll be here when you get here.  You know this.  And Angelo … you must hold on until you see Captain Harkness again.  Say a proper good-bye to him, and let him tell you that he’s forgiven you_ , Ginevra replied.  Angelo rubbed at his chest.  He would try.  Ginevra added firmly, _Then you will succeed.  I have never known you to fail when you truly tried.  Just a little longer, my love.  Just a little longer_.

Just a little longer … he could do that.  He knew that Jack was the dominant force in driving away the beings even now threatening the children of this world.   He also knew that this so-called vaccine was anything but … which was why he sent word to the people in town to bring their children to the Colasanto compound, where they would be safe.  In fact, he would put Olivia in charge of that.  A good distraction for his granddaughter, while he made his preparations.  He whispered, “I miss you.  I miss you, my Ginevra, but I will wait, and I will hold on.  It is the absolute least I owe Jack.”

He was gifted with a radiant smile, and then Ginevra vanished, leaving him alone once more.  He took a few minutes to rest, but only a few minutes.  There was still so much work to be done … and that included evaluating the favor the queen of England asked of him.  Yes … there was much work to be done yet. 

 

TBC


	15. Never Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice makes a series of decisions that forever alters her own life, as well as the lives of her father and her son

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy moly, I actually survived graduation (ramp-up, graduation week, the aftermath)! And now, I’m on our winter break. That’s right, as of three pm on Tuesday the 23rd, our university is closed for the next two weeks! And now, we’re almost to the end of the journey. As I mentioned, the next story is going to be ‘The Culling’ and probably the last story in the ‘Themes and Variations’ series (aside from possible one-shots). I did something a little unusual for me … the entire chapter is written from one person’s perspective. I’m still not sure why I did it that way, just that it felt right. (mildly exasperated expression) And while I hoped to have this completed before I left for Italy, I figure being down to two more chapters isn’t bad. Then again, I have three days before I leave, so it’s possible that I’ll get another chapter done before then. Merry Christmas, everyone!

London, England

That Day

 

 

Ever since this nightmare began, Alice found herself thinking more and more about her mother.  She wasn’t entirely sure why … maybe because when the children began speaking, she was standing at her mother’s grave, once more giving voice to the rage that never quite went away when she thought about her mother?  It was possible.  More likely, though, this particular case brought home to her what her father went through alone, after her mother took her from his life … after she abandoned him.  True, he was only the head of Torchwood Cardiff for the last nine years, but long before then … Long before then, he was making painful choices.  It reminded Alice yet again, just how proud she was of him, just how proud she was to be his daughter.  She only hoped, when the time came, that she could be the daughter he deserved, as well as the mother that Steven deserved.

But Alice was afraid.  She was afraid that she would be more her mother’s daughter than her father’s, and put her own wants and feelings before her child’s welfare.  She was afraid that she wouldn’t be strong enough to be Jack’s daughter.  She was so afraid of so many things.  And Alice, who loved her father far too much to put him up on a pedestal, knew that her father was just as frightened as she was.  Perhaps even more, especially now with the news that Esther was pregnant.  And for the first time, Alice thought about what that would mean.  She knew her father well enough to realize that whether Esther’s baby was his or Ianto’s, Dad would still regard him or her as his own … which was to say, he considered the child to be his responsibility.  Alice thought about her own (too few) memories of her father from when she was a little girl, about the way her father and son interacted, and realized with a pang that she was jealous of her unborn brother or sister.

Her thoughts turned next to her father’s coma dreams, of the sacrifice he had to make … one child (her child, his grandchild) or millions of children.  In truth, Alice wasn’t sure that she would be able to forgive her father if he made the choice to kill Steven to save millions of children, even in this life.  But at the same time, she also knew that she truly couldn’t hate him.  Despite what she wanted to believe, despite everything that was said and done during the last few days, and despite what Tosh accomplished while her father bought them time, Alice knew that things could still go spectacularly pear-shaped.  She knew that there was still a chance her son could die.  Yes, Tosh had a back-up plan, but their uneasy allies didn’t know that.  They could still kill her son.

Alice knew that she couldn’t let that happen.  Not just for Steven’s sake, not just for her own sake, but for her father’s.  She could not permit her son to be sacrificed … if a sacrifice was to be demanded, she would pay the price herself.  Not her father, whose big heart would be shattered to pieces and whose soul would be torn apart with such a choice, and not with her son, who was so very young and had so much left to give the world.  Tosh created a contingency plan, and that was fine, but Alice was creating contingency plans of her own.  A gentle squeeze around her fingers returned her attention to the car.  She offered Owen a wan smile as he drove.

It seemed she was the only one with dark thoughts in the car.  The mood was … well, not quite celebratory on the way over, but relieved.  Owen was almost smiling (a real smile, not the sarcastic, snarky smile she sometimes loathed, if a smile could indeed be called snarky), and Steven was chattering away in back.  Ianto and Esther were in another car, along with Gray, Tosh, Rhys and Suzie.  Aside from Steven, there was very little conversation, at least in Alice’s car.  Owen seemed relaxed … tired, but relaxed.  At least until the building where this would all be settled came into view.  He squeezed her fingers again, and while Alice unbuckled herself (taking a few deep breaths to fortify her courage), Owen went around to open Steven’s car. 

He was, she was relieved to notice, keeping a protective arm around Steven.  He’d heard the same things Alice did, when Dad came back from being buried alive (something she would never forgive Aaron for, never), and his expression reassured her.  If someone wanted to get to Steven, they would have to go through Owen.  Funny, since he’d told her before they went on their first date that he ‘didn’t do kids.’  Alice smiled to herself, remembering.  She nearly made a snarky remark of her own … merely arched an eyebrow until Owen realized just how his words could have been taken and face-palmed, muttering he’d walked right into that.  Which he had.  On the other hand, he hadn’t realized at the time that she had her father’s sense of humor.

And now, the man who was leery of dating a woman with a child, was promising to die defending that child.  Not because it was his job, not because he was Jack’s grandson (or rather, not just because he was Jack’s grandson), but because he was her child. _Because … Steven … was … her … child_.  Not his own … not Jack’s, but hers.  It seemed quite extraordinary to her.  But maybe it shouldn’t have.  With that in mind, she squeezed his hand again.

A tall, handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes (who wasn’t Dad) stood outside, and he smiled as they approached, saying, “I’m Lucas North … Jack sent me out here to watch for you.  You must be Alice and Steven … and Dr. Harper?”  A brief smile, then the man continued, “Jack told me that you were a touch sensitive about being called by your correct title.”  Owen grumbled about that under his breath, about the years of work and study to earn that title, but Alice knew at this point that it was more for show than anything else.  Lucas North added with a grin, “He also told me that your bark was worse than your bite.  C’mon.  He’s waiting for us.” 

This was said as Ianto, Esther, Suzie, Rhys, Tosh and Gray joined them.  Devin and Anwen were at the palace with the queen and Harriet.  Alice allowed herself a smile as they trailed behind Lucas, remembering the sight of Harriet carefully cradling Devin in her arms after Tosh gave her baby boy one last kiss.  Anwen had fallen asleep with her thumb in her mouth, and her head on the Brig’s shoulder … and his expression could be best described as bittersweet, even with the drool on his uniform.  His daughter was with UNIT now, she remembered, one of the few UNIT types her own father had any degree of respect for, aside from Martha.

There was no conversation during that walk, which only took ten minutes, but seemed to take longer.  Alice was still working out the best way to protect her son.  She’d wanted to leave him behind at the palace, but Steven told her very firmly that if she tried to leave without him, he’d just stowaway … or worse.  There were times when he was way too much like his grandfather.  This was one of them.  He would have done just that, and left on his own, he would have been in far more danger.  Here, she had a chance of protecting him.  Or so she kept telling herself.

And then they were entering the room where everything would be decided.  Her father’s back was to them as he listened intently to whatever that bitch was saying (her uncle’s wife had that right, if nothing else) … at least until Steven cried out, “Uncle Jack!  You’re okay!”  Her son broke free of Owen’s grasp and ran into her dad’s arms.  Dad lifted him easily, holding him close and looking over Steven’s shoulder at them … mentally counting to see if everyone was there.  Then his eyes shifted to her, and his eyes warmed.  She smiled back at him.

They had no time for a real reunion.  No time for her to make sure that her dad really was okay.  There was only time for her to give him a quick once-over, reassuring herself that he was intact, and bask in his smile (tired though it was).  Tosh followed Steven’s example, and as she had when he returned to life after Abaddon, threw herself into Jack’s arms.  Not surprisingly, he had room in his arms for both Alice’s son and Gray’s wife … room enough in his arms and in his heart.  But even as she was embracing him, Tosh was quietly explaining that they found the frequency … and that no child would be necessary.  Alice counted herself fortunate that she saw the look on her father’s face when her uncle’s wife imparted that piece of information.  He already knew, she was sure.  But to hear it from Tosh herself, her dark eyes shining?  It meant more, coming from her.  Alice saw that in her father’s eyes ... that, and his fierce relief.

Esther and Ianto were greeted and kissed with equal ferocity, but Alice also saw her father’s expression as he looked at his blonde lover.  He wanted her safe, away from here … he wanted them both safe and away from here.  The trouble was, there was no such thing as a safe place, not anymore, and he knew it.  And just like with Steven, Esther and Ianto were safer here, by Dad’s side, than they were anywhere else.  Besides, neither would allow themselves to be sent away.  Jack even hugged Rhys once he hugged Suzie, and the big Welshman returned the embrace.  Rhys was family, too.  This was about family in the end, wasn’t it?  It was about family, about protecting your children and those you loved.  Family should be with family.

It should have been easy, from that point on.  They were all together, and they were always stronger together than when they were apart.  It should have been easy, it should have been done.  So, of course, it wasn’t.  Even as Tosh was setting up, getting things organized, Alice watched her father very carefully.  It wasn’t a lack of trust.  She knew what her father would do.  Rather, she watched his reactions to everything that was going on.  He was on high alert, which meant that even though he probably trusted Lucas North, he didn’t trust Johnson.  Really, neither did Alice.  And then there was that strange little man … Decker.  He’d studied the 456 for years, and kept telling Tosh that she was wrong, that there was only one way to destroy them, by rerouting the signal through the children or a child.  Alice watched her father even more carefully after he spoke … saw the tightness in her father’s features, and only then did she really accept that what her father saw while he was buried was actually real.  He knew this man.  Or likely knew of him, and Alice knew that this man was a threat to her child. 

But nothing Alice had seen to date could match her father’s reaction when Decker told them how to destroy the 456, all but purring, “And oh, that child is going to _burn_.”  Alice’s father, who began helping Tosh even as Ianto and Esther were monitoring communications from around the country and around the world, abruptly straightened up and strode over to Decker.  Alice did nothing to stop him, because this man wanted her son to die.  Her son, who was even now taking shelter with Ianto and Esther, the young blonde American wrapping a protective arm around her boy’s shoulders as she pointed something out to Ianto, the young Welshman nodding in agreement and pointing out something in turn.

Alice’s father took just a few steps forward, hands twisting in the man’s collar and physically lifting him off his feet.  Neither Ianto nor Esther made a move to stop him, and even Lucas North was watching warily.  The only one who seemed inclined to stop Dad was the bitch who put a bomb in him … and Lucas put an arm out in front of her, shaking his head.  Dad ground out, “If you think for one deco-second that _any_ child will die today, you’re out of your mind.  I’m not sacrificing my grandson, or anyone else’s grandson.  So sit down and shut up.  You had your chance … now it’s our turn.”

With those words, he shoved Decker away, brusquely issuing orders to the team.  Ianto and Esther’s responsibility, in addition to covering the communications console, was to watch over Steven and Alice, and Lucas was to cover them all.  The handsome MI5 agent merely smiled.  Owen would help Tosh (which he was already doing), while Gray would watch the door … just to be safe.  As everyone moved to do their jobs, Dad returned to Alice, cupping her face in his hands as he did when she was a little girl.  Alice blinked back tears, remembering once again how good it felt when he did this.  He murmured, “You okay, M’liss?”

Something else he hadn’t done since she was a little girl, and Alice’s fury at her mother, never that far away, surfaced once more.  But she fought it back, because what her mother did wasn’t important.  Not right now.  In this life that her father saw, in this other timeline, Alice remained poisoned against her father.  She wouldn’t let her mother win this time around.  She whispered in response, “I am now.  I’ve been worried about you, Dad.”  It went unspoken, those awful months aboard the Valiant, when she saw her father tortured and murdered on a daily basis.

And Dad just smiled, answering softly, “I’m fine, M’liss, I promise.  Stay close to Lucas and the others.  I don’t want you getting caught in the crossfire, if things go pear-shaped.”  It went without saying to both Alice and her father (to say nothing of the rest of the team) that the odds were good that things did, indeed, go pear-shaped.  They usually did, and the only question was ever how things would go pear-shaped, when they went pear-shaped, and how badly would they go pear-shaped.  Alice nodded and wrapped her arms around her father, closed her eyes as his arms closed around her in turn.  He kissed the top of her head, whispering that he loved her. 

And naturally, that was when everything turned ugly.  Decker, who was ignored up until then, gave an inarticulate cry.  One moment, Alice was enveloped in her father’s arms … the next, she was being propelled backward into another pair of strong arms.  Before her horrified eyes, Decker was hurtling toward Tosh and Owen … and Gray, who was just outside the door, wasn’t nearly close enough to protect his wife.  He wasn’t … but Dad was.  He intercepted Decker, and was clubbed in the head for his trouble.  However, the momentary distraction gave Owen the time he needed to shove Tosh out of the way before she could jump in front of her laptop protectively … the laptop that Decker proceed to smash, the club or baseball bat or whatever he was using rising and falling.

Dad recovered, though it was obvious that he was more than a bit wobbly, and tackled Decker, driving him away from the laptop, and away from Tosh.  It wasn’t over … but Dad didn’t know that.  He wasn’t the only one.  Commander Johnson looked from the struggling Decker to Steven, and Alice screamed, “Steven!  Run!”  She realized immediately that it was the worst thing she could have done.  Another bad decision.  Faster than Ianto or Esther could react, Steven did as he was told … and ran straight into the arms of one of Johnson’s men. 

“Take your hands off him,” Jack snarled, rising to his feet.  Commander Johnson aimed her gun at him, but Alice’s father didn’t back down.  If anything, he looked more determined, and repeated, “You put him down, and you do it now.  Because if you don’t, I _will_ let my daughter tear you to pieces.”  The man looked from Jack to Alice and back again, and very slowly placed Steven on the ground.  Dad went on, “Soldier, I need you to stay with Lucas until this is all over.  Lucas … you do what you have to do.”

“Captain Harkness, I’m sorry, but it’s over.  There is only one way to end this,” Johnson said.  If Alice was in a mood to give her credit, she would have for the obvious regret in the woman’s voice.  Even as she was speaking, Steven was running to the MI-5 agent, who was sweeping him into his arms and holding him on his hip, even as he aimed his weapon at anyone who even thought about taking Alice’s son from him.  And Steven clung to him, glowering at Johnson and her men.  For the first time, Alice saw a glimpse of the man her son could be, and knew he could be every bit as dangerous and every bit as formidable as his grandfather.

“There is not,” that same grandfather said now.  His voice was quiet and Alice shuddered.  Not in fear for herself, but because she knew when her father was this quiet, he was truly at his most dangerous.  And Johnson’s eyes were on him … not on Tosh, who was even now shakily withdrawing her mobile.  Owen was standing beside her protectively, eyes flashing.  Dad went on coolly, “You want my grandson?  You want to end his life, you want to wash your hands in his blood?  Then you’ll have to go through me.”  There was a minute flinch that raced through her father’s body as he spoke those words, as if he was repeating something that evoked a memory.  Alice didn’t have the chance to ask about it, because Johnson grimaced and fired a single bullet into Jack’s chest. 

All her life, Alice heard the saying ‘ _I saw red_.’  Until she saw a woman shoot her father for daring to stand up to her, until she saw her father collapse, until she heard her son screaming, Alice never really knew what that meant … or that it really was possible to see red.  Through that red haze, she charged Commander Johnson.  Through that haze, she heard Tosh frantically telling Her Majesty that they had to enact Plan B.  Through that haze, she felt the air around her charge … and heard her son’s screaming change.

The two women wrestled on the ground for the gun, Johnson swearing and begging Alice to let go before she hurt her.  But Alice didn’t let go.  She couldn’t let go.  Letting go meant letting go of her father and letting go of Steven, and she couldn’t do that.  Until there was a roaring sound, until there was a terrible pain in her head, and until Alice’s fingers lost their strength.  That was the last thing she knew … that awful pain and even worse sound.  She never heard her father screaming her name … never felt him scooping her up into his arms or the feel of his tears on her face … never saw Steven slumped in Lucas North’s arms. 

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Jack’s words to Commander Johnson about washing her hands in Steven’s blood sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a variation on the challenge issued to Jack, the Doctor and Rose by Margaret Blaine in ‘Boomtown’ (one of my all-time favorite NewWho episodes). In the next chapter, we’ll see the aftermath and learn Alice’s fate.


	16. No Small Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we see things from Rhys’ perspective; Tosh lays down the law; Esther makes a sacrifice of her own; and Owen fights to save Alice’s life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A somewhat longer chapter this time around … there are a lot of loose ends to tie up. A few will be in the epilogue, but most of them had to be done in this chapter (including where exactly Suzie was when all of this was happening). I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas … everyone was thrilled with what I got them, and I received my main gift a few weeks ago: a new suitcase for my trip. I’m nearly ready … I start packing tonight, and then finish up tomorrow when I get home from shopping. I’ve been checked in, and have my boarding passed printed. I only have an hour layover in NYC and hopefully, I’ll have no issues getting from one terminal to another (crosses fingers, toes, all other appropriate body parts).

He’d drifted into the background, as he was always content to do when he got caught up in the spooky-dos of Torchwood, as Gwen’s former partner Andy always put it.  This was what they did.  He was the auxiliary, and could have stayed at the palace ( _the bloody palace, Buckingham bloody Palace_ ) with the children, but Rhys came with Suzie.  He had the sense that he would be needed.  And so, he watched as Tosh and Owen began setting up the computer, Gray took up his post, while Ianto and Esther took up their places with the communications console, Steven between them.  He wondered if anyone else realized that Esther was already becoming a mother … if anyone else saw the way she looked at Steven.  Suzie probably did … maybe Gray and Tosh, since they were parents as well. 

For her own part, Suzie did a circuit of the room, even as Rhys faded into the background.  Jack had no instructions for her, but she was his second in command.  It was her job to keep an eye on things, to see what Jack couldn’t see.  And Rhys knew, because he was her husband, because he knew the way his Suzie’s mind worked, that it would haunt her for the rest of her life, what happened while she was out in the hallway, checking out something that Gray mentioned to her.  She would wonder if she could have saved Alice, if she could have prevented anything that happened from the moment Decker attacked Jack, Tosh, and the computer.

Maybe she could have.  Maybe she couldn’t have.  They’d never know, and in Rhys’ mind, the ones truly responsible were that little tosser Decker and that bitch Johnson.  No, he would never forgive her, not for putting a bomb inside Jack.  Everything else, he could have forgiven her, but by now he knew that she did put a bomb inside Jack, and that she would have encased him in concrete.  Rhys couldn’t consider someone like that a human being.  No, someone like that was as much of a monster as the 456.  Later, much later, after Jack was capable of talking, when he didn’t look as if his heart was carved from his chest, Rhys would tell him that, and Jack would smile sadly, telling him that he’d done his share of awful things during the course of his life.  Rhys believed that.  But that was before Rhys knew him, and thus, it didn’t count.

But that was in the future, and as things fell apart in front of him, Rhys Williams knew that he couldn’t stay on the sidelines.  Not now.  Not anymore.  Because even as Jack moved shakily to his feet to confront Commander Johnson and as Tosh withdrew her mobile to call her Majesty, Rhys tackled Decker to the ground and kept him there, keeping him away from Tosh and her ruined laptop.  In the back of his mind, the part that wasn’t caught up with what was going on, Rhys found himself hoping that the Crown would buy her a new one.  Decker wriggled under him and Rhys applied pressure to a few key places to make him be still.  Really, he wasn’t half as good at wriggling as Jack was, as Rhys learned in the one time he shagged Jack.  It was before he’d become involved with Suzie in earnest, and in truth, he wasn’t proud of that day.  He’d hurt Jack badly.  Yes, Jack forgave him immediately, but that was who Jack was.

Normally, at least.  He wasn’t sure if Jack would forgive this so easily … and then a loud report of a gun brought Rhys’ attention back to the goings on around him.  Jack crumpled to the ground, a rather large bloodstain appearing on his blue shirt (Ianto would not be best pleased about Jack’s death or the damage to his shirt) … and it was at that point that things took a _very_ unexpected turn.  Steven was still in the arms of that MI5 operative (and wasn’t he another Action Man come to life), clinging to the man’s neck, even as the operative pointed a gun at anyone who would threaten the little boy, his expression saying oh so clearly, ‘ _try it mate, just try it_.’  His body was angled so that Steven was less likely to get caught in the crossfire, and also gave Action Man a clearer shot at anyone stupid enough to rush him to get to Steven.

There was a soft growl, that sounded a great deal like, ‘ _you bitch_!’ and then Alice actually charged the woman who shot her father.  Alice.  Not Suzie, not Tosh, not Esther (although Ianto’s restraining arm around her waist may have had something to do with that) … Alice.  There was just enough time for Rhys to see Johnson’s eyes widen nearly comically, and then Jack’s daughter rugby-tackled the woman to the ground, and the two began struggling for the gun.  Decker made another attempt to get away, but it was at that point that Steven’s screams … changed.  Rhys almost absently punched the other man in the face, causing him to still, and turned his full attention to the boy.

And not a moment too soon, because the MI5 operative even now trying to hold onto the child needed both arms to keep Steven from falling, and that meant putting down his gun down … or rather, tucking it into the waistband of his jeans.  Rhys checked on Decker … still out … and then rolled to his feet to protect the two.  Not a moment too soon, because the operative was holding onto the flailing child with both arms, holding tightly as Steven made a horrific noise that was far more and far worse than a scream. Action Man was staring at the boy, looking both terrified and furious (though Rhys didn’t think any of the rage was directed at the boy).  And that was when the second gunshot rang out. 

The wrestling match on the floor had stopped, and one woman lay still, while another struggled to her feet.  Tosh, who was still on the phone, stared in horror, even as the woman struggling to her feet breathed, “She didn’t give me a choice … I didn’t want to hurt her.”  Rhys stared at Commander Johnson, and then he stared at Alice, who lay so very still.  That couldn’t be right.  That blood … why was blood coming from Alice’s head?  That didn’t seem right, either.  And then, there was a familiar gasp of breath, followed by a godawful cry, one that turned Rhys’ blood to ice.  Half scrambling and half crawling, Jack Harkness made his way to his daughter’s side, pulling her into his arms, rasping out her name and begging her to wake up.  He was immediately joined by Owen, who knelt beside them both and managed to examine Alice’s wound despite her somewhat awkward position in her father’s arms.

Tosh was still staring at Commander Johnson, her eyes terrifyingly blank as she answered almost mechanically, “Yes, your Majesty, that was a second gunshot.  No, it wasn’t by any of us.  Yes, by the exact same woman.  Oh yes, she absolutely betrayed us.”  Now Rhys could see the full horror in Johnson’s eyes as she realized exactly who Tosh was talking to.  A cold smile that Rhys never wanted to see again appeared on Tosh’s face as she replied, “Oh, absolutely, your Majesty … she’ll be taken into custody.  I’ll see to it myself.  Of course.  No, thank you … we could have never ended this without your help, and the Brig’s suggestion.”  And then, she ended the call, her eyes obsidian hard as she regarded the commander of the black ops team.

“Suzie is the official second in command of Torchwood Cardiff,” Tosh observed coolly, “but seeing as she’s been dealing with your men for the last few minutes, I am the member of Torchwood with the most seniority … sorry, Ianto.  I’m also the one who just got off the phone with the Queen, who informed me that I was to take you into custody for treason.  Mr. North?  Would you be so kind as to assist me?”  She glanced at Rhys, adding softly, “Jack could do this.  He shouldn’t have to.  Besides, her Majesty wanted me to make sure that Commander Johnson reached the Palace intact.”  Point taken.

“It’d be my pleasure, Dr. Sato-Harkness,” Action Man answered, making a gesture at the unconscious blond child he even now held in his arms.  Ianto took Steven with incredibly gentleness, cradling him against his chest.  He wanted to go to Jack.  Rhys could see that in his eyes.  But right now, Jack needed to be with his daughter, and someone needed to look after Steven.  Right now, the best thing Ianto could do for Jack was take care of his grandson.  With the little boy out of his arms, Lucas North moved toward the still-stunned Commander Johnson.

At the same time, Jack rose to his feet, cradling his daughter’s limp body against his chest.  Owen rose with them, supporting Alice’s head with one palm, and a cloth pressed against the wound.  His entire attention was focused on the woman in Jack’s eyes.  And Jack himself … His eyes were red, but his eyes were dry.  His gaze, when it fell upon the commander, had the woman swallowing hard and pulling back.  Jack’s eyes swept over her, filled with contempt, and he whispered hoarsely, “You’re not worth it.  You could never be worth it.  Suzie!”  Rhys’ wife skidded into the room, giving a hoarse cry when she saw the blood on Jack’s shirt and Alice’s limp body.  Jack continued, “She’s still alive, but I’m not sure for how long.” 

“I’ll take care of everything … you two take care of her.  Ianto, Esther … you three go with them.  North, you’re with me,” Suzie ordered and the MI5 man nodded, actually frog-marching Johnson forward.  And … did he kick at Decker?  Heh.  He surely did.  Rhys knew he should feel something negative toward a man who kicked a fallen man, but in this case?  Not really.

“And what about me, m’love?” Rhys asked.  Suzie’s eyes shifted to him, and she smiled.  Jack made his way past his second in command, with Owen by his side, and Rhys shuddered a little at the way his friend moved.  Like an old man (he was old, despite his looks, he was so very old), like a young man who’d been badly beaten.  They’d won here today, and while the cost wasn’t as horrifically high as it could have been, there was a price, and she lay like a child in her father’s arms.  She’d done what needed to be done, Rhys understood … as soon as her father fell, Alice took the steps she needed to save her son and to buy Tosh the needed time.

But none of that would be a comfort to her father, whether Alice lived or died.  Rhys knew Jack Harkness.  Knew that behind the playfulness and the charm, Jack took so much on his admittedly broad shoulders.  His daughter was injured, possibly killed, and he could do nothing to stop it.  That would not set well with him.  Rhys had only to think about how he would feel if something happened to Anwen.  The breath left his body as if he’d been struck in the solar plexus.  He’d kill them.  There was no question, Rhys would kill anyone who harmed his Anwen, for any reason.  He growled at the woman even now being frog-marched forward, “Just be grateful that Jack’s more forgiving than I am.  I’d have killed you by now for this!”

The woman froze, but it was Suzie who spoke next, answering Rhys’ initial question, “You’re with me, Rhys.”  Always and forever.  Rhys gave Johnson one last contemptuous look, and then turned to his wife.  She looked so tired.  They all looked so tired.  But none of them could rest, not yet.  There was still a bit more work to be done, and then they could rest.  And then, Rhys could take care of them.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

It was over.  It was done.  With trembling hands, Toshiko Sato-Harkness returned her mobile to its protective case, wanting to seek shelter in her husband’s arms.  But she couldn’t.  Not yet.  There was still work to be done.  Jack needed to be able to see to his daughter, and Ianto was even now caring for Steven, wiping away the blood from his face.  Tosh looked over at Esther, saying quietly, “I need you to confirm that the 456 are gone before you join Jack and Owen.”  The blonde woman nodded, turning back to the console where she’d been working, and Tosh rubbed her hand over her face wearily.  She looked briefly at the woman who shot two people whom Tosh loved, the woman even now being pushed toward the hallway by Lucas North.

She knew what Johnson would say.  She knew that she would protest that she was just following orders.  And Tosh had only to remember what she did, to protect her mother.  Was there a difference between them?  Was there a difference between what Johnson did and what Jack did in his dream world, when he assisted in delivering those children to the 456 in 1965?  Maybe she was biased because she loved Jack, but Tosh believed there was a difference … because Jack regretted it.  At the same time, Tosh believed that Jack would have done the same thing, if it meant protecting someone else.  Jack didn’t duck the ugly decisions that had to be made.

Those decisions tore his heart out, Tosh knew that.  Just as she knew that their immature reactions to those decisions broke his heart.  But Jack Harkness would never shrug his burdens onto someone else.  If it meant sparing someone else, he would do what was necessary.  And besides, could she really say that Clement McDonald was better off in this world, his spine severed by a bullet from a man who truly didn’t care?  No.  No, she couldn’t.  And besides.  What Jack saw never truly happened.  In reality, he was dead following his first encounter with Abaddon when the twelve children were turned over to the 456.

After a few brief moments, Esther turned back and confirmed, her soft voice filled with a bittersweet triumph, “They’re really gone, Tosh.  It’s over … that part of it, at least.  What do we do with him?”  She indicated the man who attacked Tosh and destroyed her laptop.  The last thing the queen told her before she hung up was that the Crown would buy her a new laptop, made to her specifications if need be.  The offer warmed her heart, but she was far more interested in what would be done to Decker.

“Gray and I will see to him,” Tosh answered, even as her husband yanked the man to his feet.  He wasn’t being even slightly gentle about it, and Tosh didn’t care.  He would have sacrificed Devin or Anwen or Steven, or Esther’s unborn child, and he would have done it without any regret, remorse or compassion.  He would have done it gleefully.  He would have taken pleasure in it, and Tosh … Tosh regarded him as no better than the 456. 

“Okay,” Esther answered, inclining her head, before trotting after Ianto.  As she caught up with him, she put one hand in the small of his back, while the hand went to Steven’s face.  Tosh smiled as she watched the other woman.  Suzie and Rhys were just ahead of them, Suzie leaning into her husband.  Tosh should have anticipated what came next.  She should have, she should have known that people like Johnson and Decker never gave up when they were beaten.  As Gray pushed Decker ahead of him, the scientist made one last bid for freedom and God knew what else, using Gray’s size and strength against him, and throwing him into the unsuspecting Tosh.  She never saw exactly what he did, and she supposed it didn’t matter.  She was too busy trying to keep herself and her husband from ending up on the ground … and then, it no longer mattered.  A gunshot rang out, and Decker collapsed as if he was a puppet whose strings were cut.  Esther lowered her pistol, saying quietly, “He would have used Devin … or Anwen … or my baby.  He would have never stopped.”

As Gray and Tosh untangled themselves, Tosh saw that Esther stood between Ianto and Steven and the fallen scientist, shielding her lover and the little boy.  Gray gave her a little nudge, and Tosh went to the other woman, gently pushing the hand with the gun down.  The eyes of the mother met the eyes of the mother to be, and Tosh nodded gently.  The breath slowly left Esther and she whispered, “This is the first time I’ve had to kill, you know.  Since the shelter.”  Tosh took her hand, and Esther added, “I don’t feel anything.  I should feel something, shouldn’t I?”

There were a hundred different ways Tosh could have answered her.  She could have said that Esther was in shock, that the bastard deserved it, that feeling would come.  They were all true, Tosh suspected, but words were not what Esther needed right now.  She reached forward and took Esther’s hand, entwining their fingers together, and told her quietly, “You did what needed to be done.  You’re right … he would have used any of our children.”  Esther nodded, leaning into Ianto.  He couldn’t put his arms around her, but leaned forward to support her.

“C’mon, cariad.  We have to take care of Steven and Jack,” Ianto murmured into Esther’s hair.  She nodded, the shock now truly settling in.  The bastard on the floor wasn’t worth Esther’s tears, but she would weep later anyhow.  Maybe not for him, but for the piece of her soul that she believed lost when she shot him.  Understanding of the lives she saved by taking his would come later.  For now, Esther was surrounded by people who loved her and people who understood. 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

Her head was bound up, using spare towels he found and handkerchiefs.  It wasn’t particularly sanitary or clean, but it would prevent her from bleeding to death.  That was the immediate worry.  Head wounds bled like a bitch.  He had to make sure she didn’t bleed to death before he worried about the damage the bullet did to her head, to her brain.  Head wounds didn’t just bleed like a bitch … they were tricky as well.  And when you factored in the damage done by a small piece of lead, traveling at high rates of speed … things got even trickier.

Jack sat beside his daughter, holding her hand, and murmuring something that Owen might have thought was a prayer, if he hadn’t known that Jack didn’t believe in God or any other higher being.  As Owen worked to stabilize Alice, he heard Jack whisper, “I’m sorry.  God, I’m so sorry.”  The doctor wasn’t sure if he was talking to Owen himself or to Alice, and right now, it didn’t matter.  Nothing mattered except saving Alice.  She might be brain damaged, she might even be brain dead, but he had to at least _try_ to give her a fighting chance.

He would have done this, of course, even if he weren’t falling in love with her.  Owen shook his head, because again, that wasn’t what mattered now.  How he felt didn’t matter, how he felt about her didn’t matter … only the sureness of his hands, and the clarity of his training.  That was all that was important now.  Trust in your training, trust in your training … the words became a mantra, even as Jack whispered again, “I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me for this, Owen, but …”  Owen stopped what he was doing just long enough to swat Jack in the back of his head, abruptly silencing his captain.

“Knock it off, damn it!  This isn’t your fault, not any of it!  You were dead … Alice chose to protect you, so don’t you dare take that away from her!” Owen hissed, before returning his attention to the still, pale woman on the table.  He returned his attention to stopping the bleeding, and then once they got to the hospital, the attention could be focused on relieving any pressure that built up.  Alice was a strong woman … he knew that.  He only hoped that she was strong enough to hold on until Suzie arranged for a transport, until help could come.  And speaking of, where the hell _was_ that transport?  He flinched at the sound of a gunshot, but there was no shouting or rushing feet.  Owen deemed it safe to keep working, but he would have to keep an eye out for other issues.  He didn’t put it past Decker or Johnson to try something.

“I … I’m her father, Owen.  No matter how old she is, no matter how much she might hate me at the time, I’m her father and it’s my job to protect her,” Jack answered hoarsely, and Owen’s irritation at the other man melted away.  This wasn’t about self-pity or self-aggrandizing.  This was about a man who believed that he failed his daughter.  He wished that he had time to properly comfort his friend and boss.  The best thing he could do for Jack right now was take care of Alice.  Besides, he sucked all kinds of rocks at doing the comforting thing.  He’d leave that for Esther and Ianto.

And so, he returned his attention to his work, saying softly, “It doesn’t work like that, Jack.  You can’t protect us from everything, you can’t protect Alice from everything, you can’t protect Steven from everything.”  He checked Alice’s pupils and hissed.  They needed that transport … the sooner, the better.  Jack looked up from his daughter’s face, his eyes red and swollen.  He looked … lost.  Kinda the way Owen felt, really.  Jack was always the strong one, even when facing Abaddon, and to see him like this …

“Then what separates me from your mother, or …?” Jack asked softly, his eyes meeting Owen’s.  The doctor didn’t think he wanted to know what was going through the immortal’s mind, and for the first time, he thought about the losses Jack experienced.  It was something he was aware of, of course.  Once he realized just how long Jack lived, how could he not be aware of it?  But it wasn’t something he thought about often, because it threatened to break his brain.

“The difference, Jack, is that even when you fail, you make the attempt.  When you fall, you get back up again.  And I shouldn’t be the one telling you this … that should be Tea-Boy and Yank Girl, but I’m here now, and dammit, suck it up!” Owen retorted, letting some of his own fear shine through.  It was somewhat manipulative (okay, very manipulative), but he was scared out of his mind and he needed Jack the captain right now, not Jack the father.  And his words had the effect he needed … Jack shook his head, and blinked a few times.  Well.  At least he didn’t have to slap the man out of his shock. 

“What do you need me to do?” he asked and Owen offered a small smile before he began the important preparations to get Alice ready for transport.  He stabilized her as much as possible, as soon as Suzie got here with the damn transport, they’d get her to hospital.  Jack didn’t waste any more time on needless apologies.  Normally, he wasn’t one to apologize … just focus on what needed to be done, and worry about apologies later.  Right now, though, that option was taken from him and his mind betrayed him with its worry and fear.

“Just do what you would normally do.  Do whatever you did when she was little and sick (while she was in his life, though he didn’t mention that part to Jack).  Hold her hand.  Talk to her.  Let her know that you’re here, and you won’t leave her.  She doesn’t need you to take care of her physically right now, Jack.  She needs you to love her and believe in her, and I know you do that,” Owen replied.  The other man’s shoulders straightened and the terrified father receded a little more.  And not a moment too soon, because Lucas North entered the room, Commander Johnson conspicuously absent.  Jack turned as the MI5 operative entered and arched an eyebrow, a move he had to have learned from Teaboy.  North just grinned.  There was a dangerous man.  Owen was just glad he was on their side, at least for now.  Right now, he didn’t trust MI5 any more than he trusted UNIT (aside from Martha and Kate Lethbridge-Stewart).

“I have Johnson secured … in the boot of the car, left the back seat open for Alice,” he explained as he moved toward the stricken woman.  Now it was Owen’s turn to raise an eyebrow, and North continued, “If it was good enough for me when I was returned to MI5, it’s sure as hell good enough for Johnson.”  Owen couldn’t argue with that, especially not when it made Jack smile.  A decidedly evil smile, but a smile nonetheless, and besides, Owen had no sympathy for the woman.  She lost the right to that the moment she put a bomb in Francine Jones’ car.  Yeah, he despised her for what she did to Jack and what she would have done, but they were kinda paid to do this.  Francine, though … she was a civilian.  Big-arse difference.

“Then let’s get the hell out of here,” Owen said and the two larger men worked together to carry Alice out of the room and to the car. The doctor cast one last look around the room.  This building could have easily turned into a place of death.  That didn’t make this place any more comfortable or comforting.  He wouldn’t relax, not until Alice was out of danger.  And that?  That would likely take a very long time.  Owen stalked out of the room, after Jack and North.  Outside, he would meet up with his team, with the rest of his strange little family.  There was always a price to victory … and it remained to be seen, what the price of this victory would be.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next, the epilogue, which includes a conversation between mother and daughter and the revelation of Johnson’s punishment … as well as revelation of a different sort, involving Esther’s child.


	17. Epilogue:  Worst Case Scenario

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this epilogue, Jack ends a visit with Steven, Ianto and Esther at his side; Alice has a long overdue conversation with her mother; we see Clem (and his mysterious mother-figure) again; while Johnson’s real punishment is revealed. Hope you enjoyed the ride!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now, we come to the end of our journey (or, the rewrite of Children of Earth). As promised, while this doesn’t necessarily end on a happy note, it does end on hopeful one. Although to be honest, as you’ll see at the end, this actually ends on a vindictive note. People make the mistake of thinking I’m gentle. When I’m writing, I can actually be quite nasty. I wish I could give you a time frame of when the prologue of The Culling will be up, but I honestly don’t know. I do know how I want to start it (Jack laying the beginnings of a trap for the Families), but beyond that, I’m not sure yet.

Cardiff, Wales

Six months later 

 

There had been no change, in all the months since the 456 were driven off.  No change in the woman who even now lay unconscious.  It was believed that she was brain dead … but her father refused to turn off life support.  He had the money to keep her alive indefinitely, believing that while she drew breath, there was still hope.  Ianto Jones supposed that he could have called his boss and lover a hypocrite, but he also knew that Alice wasn’t Lisa.  She’d been shot in the head while protecting her family … not turned into a metallic thing.  And she’d still been Alice when the … when she was shot.  It wasn’t the same.  Not at all.  He supposed that was why he even now sat outside Alice Carter’s hospital room as Jack Harkness kept his silent vigil at his daughter’s side, with Jack’s grandson sitting on his lap, listing into his chest.  He probably would have preferred Esther’s lap, but given her lap was currently occupied with their unborn child …

Ianto looked to his left, at the blonde head resting against his shoulder.  Esther, at seven months pregnant, was nothing short of radiant.  Right now, she was half-asleep … the baby kept her up late the night before, and the night before that, Steven had nightmares.  Needless to say, their golden American girl was exhausted.  She joked that it was good practice for when the baby was born, but lately, the joke had been falling flat.  She was exhausted and stressed, which was why she urged Jack to make another visit to the hospital only a few days after his most recent.  Jack was even more stressed.  And, since she and Ianto couldn’t do a spoiling session (this said with a glance down at her gravid body), this would be the next best thing.  He knew the others didn’t like it (especially not Tosh, since Aaron was still at Flat Holm), but it was what Jack needed.

Ianto shook thoughts of his teammates from his head and kissed the top of Esther’s head, and then leaned forward very slightly to whisper to his unborn daughter, “Shhh, Alyssa … let your mum rest.”  He heard a snicker from Esther as he straightened back up, murmuring, “Well, we’ll know whose daughter she actually is if she listens to me.”  Esther’s smile broadened a little as Steven shifted in his sleep, and Ianto kissed the top of his head, before pressing a kiss into Esther’s blonde hair, and then settling back into his seat.  He wrapped his arm around Esther’s shoulders, drawing her closer once more, and she made herself more comfortable.

“Jack listens to you.  He just doesn’t always heed what you have to say, there’s a difference,” was her oh-so-reasonable statement.  Ianto rolled his eyes at that, and Esther continued thoughtfully, “You know, he didn’t say anything when we mentioned the baby’s name to him, but I think he’s good with it.  Not just that she would bear the surname of Jones, but her given name.”  Ianto nodded, not bothering to point out to Esther that Jack was already thinking that the child should carry Ianto’s last name.  But the first name … they were cautious about that.

It was Esther’s idea … to combine ‘Alice’ and ‘Melissa’ into ‘Alyssa.’  They were still figuring out a middle name, although Esther was partial to ‘Jacqueline.’  Jack wanted to name her after Esther somehow, since the little girl’s two fathers were already represented.  ‘Estelle’ was out for obvious reasons, and ‘Stella’ didn’t even make the top thirty list.  Ianto was fairly confident that he could make a good case for ‘Starr,’ or some variation thereof.  But they had another six weeks or so before the baby was born.  There was time.  Unless she decided to take after Jack, and throw them all off kilter.  He was good at that.  The door to Alice’s room opened, startling Steven awake, and Jack emerged.  He looked exhausted and drained, as he always did after coming to see his daughter.  But when his grandson held out his arms, Jack scooped him up and settled him on his hip.  It was rare that Steven actually went in to see his mum, but he always came.  Always.

“Ready to go, soldier?” Jack asked softly as Steven wrapped his arms around his grandfather’s neck, and Steven nodded sleepily, his head coming to rest on Jack’s shoulder.  Ianto helped Esther to her feet, and Jack kissed them both before observing quietly, “There’s still no change.  Doctors don’t know when or if she’ll wake up.  Some of them insist that she’s brain dead, and I should let her go … others …” Ianto knew who the others were.  Jack’s Doctor, now in his eleventh body. 

Much to Ianto’s astonishment, he actually … well, if not liked this Doctor, then didn’t despise him thoroughly.  The Eleventh Doctor had come three months earlier, apparently not long after he’d regenerated and much to everyone’s astonishment … apologized to Jack.  Not just for being unreachable during the 456 mess, but for the Year, and everything else.  Especially for calling him wrong.  He also told him not to give up on Alice, that she might yet surprise him, and from that point on … from that point on, Jack wouldn’t even hear of letting her go.  Ianto only hoped that the Doctor wasn’t setting Jack up for more heartbreak.  Jack had enough.

And as she always did, Esther had her own thoughts, telling Jack, “Alice is breathing on her own.  She’s holding on, Jack.  And as we’ve discussed in the past, doctors don’t know everything.  Not even Gallifreyan ones.”  Ianto grinned at that, resting a hand in the small of her back, and Esther continued, “And right now, a pregnant lady could use some sustenance.  I think her two men could as well.”  Jack smiled at that, pressing a light kiss to her forehead. 

“A wise, pregnant lady, who takes care of us under the guise of taking care of herself and our baby,” Jack answered as they began to walk away from the hospital room where Alice Carter rested for the last several months.  Ianto pretended not to notice that Jack was finding it difficult to leave.  He always did.  This was always hard for him, and Ianto figured it would always be hard for him.  Though Alice’s condition remained stable, Jack always feared that when he left, it would be the last time he saw his daughter alive.  And Owen … Ianto really wasn’t sure how many times the surly doctor visited Alice, if he did it at all.  And … it wasn’t his business.  The baby who began kicking against Ianto’s hand as they crowded into the lift, her mother, the tall man in the World War II coat, and the boy in his arms … they were Ianto’s business.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

She was neither alive nor dead … both awake and unconscious.  By now, the oddities of her current situation no longer fazed her.  For six months in the waking world, she’d watched over her family.  She saw when the 456 were blown out of the sky, by the same queen who permitted the transfer of twelve children to them, forty-four years earlier.  She saw her father and Owen grieving together (and oh, that did her heart good to see them grieving together, instead of tearing each other apart) … she saw Esther grow heavy with child … and she could have wept when she heard that her unborn sister would be named after her.  She watched as Johnson withdrew into herself each day she spent in UNIT’s custody.  She watched as Steven clung to her father, just as Tosh and Gray clung to Devin, just as Suzie and Rhys clung to Anwen, in the wake of the 456.  She saw it all, even heard her father tell Ianto and Esther that he loved them in actual words, and she took particular pleasure not just in Johnson quietly falling apart, but in the way her family (her family!) took care of each other.

“You should be with them, you know.  Not here with us.  If Jack had just stayed out of your life, like he was supposed to, this would have never happened,” an annoyingly familiar voice pointed out, and Alice slowly inhaled and exhaled before turning to face her mother.  They’d gone over this so many times during the last six months, but Lucia Moretti seemed incapable of understanding one very important thing.  Alice _chose_ to attack Johnson, after seeing her father fall.  This was _her_ choice, not her dad’s, and she was getting heartily sick of her mother ignoring that.  She was getting heartily sick of her mother, period.

“And if you’d honored commitments you made, rather than being a vindictive bitch, I probably wouldn’t be in this position, either.  You took me from my father, Mum.  Do you think, do you honestly think, I’ve forgiven you for that?” Alice demanded, nonexistent fingers curling into nonexistent fists.  Lucia looked away, and Alice continued bitterly, “I’m in limbo right now because I chose my son.  You chose yourself.”  She had a lot of time to think, as she watched her father mourn, as she watched Owen grieve.  And she had the chance to accept that she wouldn’t have changed a damn thing, especially not the actions she took to protect her family. 

“Alice, how can you say that?  Everything I did, from the moment I left your father and changed your name, all of that was for you!” Lucia cried out.  Alice just shook her head, staring at her mother with cold contempt.  And, as ever, her mother chose the most obvious target for her ire, spitting, “Jack.  Jack turned you against me!”  Alice went cold, and took a step forward … but something curious happened.  Her mother … seemed to choke.  And for the first time, Alice saw a young woman standing behind her mother, with a young boy at her side.  The young woman had long dark hair and dark green eyes, and was dressed in what appeared to be something out of a Dickens story.  That could wait.  Alice had an accusation to address.

“Dad didn’t turn me against you, Mum.  You did that all on your own.  And you didn’t do it for me.  You did it for yourself, because you couldn’t bear to think there might be a time when Jack Harkness didn’t see you as beautiful.  You chose yourself over me.  But I chose Steven, and Dad, over myself.  I didn’t make the same mistakes that the other Alice made.  I chose my son, not my feelings, not my sense of abandonment, not my fears that I would grow old while my father stayed forever young and beautiful!” Alice fired back.

“Indeed you did, Alice Carter.  And as for you, Lucia Moretti … you’ve learned nothing!  Still you blame Jack Harkness for your own misdeeds, for your own selfishness!  And you wondered why your daughter wanted nothing to do with you when she arrived!” the woman hissed in a thick Welsh accent.  Lucia looked at Alice appealingly, but while Alice was her father’s daughter in many ways, she didn’t have Jack’s capacity for forgiveness.  Lucia Moretti had betrayed her, and worse yet, she betrayed her while telling her that it was for her own good.  She could dress it up in pretty words all she liked, but the truth was, she left Jack for her own sake, not for Alice’s.

Lucia looked away before vanishing entirely.  But she would be back.  She always came back.  The newcomer smiled at Alice, saying, “I know you have questions, Alice … or perhaps I should call you Melissa?  The first, and most important, thing is that you aren’t truly dead.”  Alice felt her nonexistent eyebrows raise, and the woman actually grinned, showing a gap between her front teeth.  She added, “I suppose it would help if I introduced myself.  I am Gwyneth … and this is Clement McDonald.”

Alice felt her jaw draw, looking from the man-child who died trying to warn her father to the woman whose skirts he was all but hiding behind, and something occurred to her.  She asked slowly, “Gwyneth.  The young Welshwoman who the Ninth Doctor and his companion Rose Tyler met in 1869 Cardiff?”  The woman’s smile broadened, and she whispered, remembering the Torchwood files on the woman in front of her, “You sacrificed yourself to prevent the Gelth from coming through … are you truly dead?”

“I was dead long before the blast destroyed the morgue.  But, because I am a child of the Rift, I am here.  Just as you are a child of the Rift, and just as Clem is a child touched by the Other.  The Rift runs both ways, you know,” Gwyneth answered quietly.  Alice nodded.  But there was something tugging at her brain, something … something having to do with her father.  Gwyneth observed quietly, “If you’re wondering if your father’s burial resulted in the creation of the Rift, the answer is no.  But the Rift did … affect him while he was buried alive.”

While he was buried alive.  His dreams.  Alice whispered, “Did you send those dreams to him?  What he saw, while he was buried alive?”  Gwyneth shook her head slowly, although there was a tiny smile playing about her lips.  That meant … that meant that Alice was on the right track. 

All right.  Her father had dreams of another life, a life where he lost Tosh, Owen, and Ianto (and later Esther), a life where Alice allowed her mother’s bitterness to poison her relationship with her father, a life where Alice chose that bitterness and her own hurt feelings over the welfare of her child … and where Alice lost both her father and her son, and Jack lost his daughter and grandson when the 456 returned.

“Your father was permitted to see that other timeline, as a warning of what was to come.  A worst case scenario, if you will.  There was always going to be a loss when he went up against the 456.  That couldn’t be helped.  But with the aid of the dreams, he was able to mitigate those losses,” Gwyneth replied, and Alice felt her heart break for her father.  Regardless of what was done, he would have lost her.  But at least this way, she didn’t die, years in the future, hating her father.  At least he was spared that.  Gwyneth continued, “But, you’re not dead.  You aren’t strictly alive, but you’re not dead, either.  There’s still hope, and your father isn’t giving up on that.  He loves you so much.”

“I love him, too,” Alice whispered brokenly, blinking back tears.  She looked at Gwyneth sharply, asking, “And the Families?  They’re still instigating the Miracle?”  The woman merely looked at her gravely, giving Alice the answer.  Alice swore under her breath, making Clement laugh, and Alice offered Gwyneth a sheepish look.  The other woman merely smiled gently, and Alice continued, “So … what happens now?  This is a celestial waiting room?”  And while she was thinking about it … she just noticed something.  Alice added, remembering a picture she’d seen once, “Speaking of which, there’s a marked resemblance between you and Gwen Cooper, who was part of my father’s team in that other timeline.”

“So there is,” Gwyneth agreed with that same smile, but didn’t offer any elaboration.  Ah.  Like that, was it?  It really didn’t matter, though.  Gwyneth continued, “You could say that this is a celestial waiting room.  Where you go depends on you, although much will depend on the limitations of your body.  Even with that, though, Melissa Moretti … the choice is still yours.  You may stay here … you may move on … you may return to your body, given time.  The choice is yours.  We could not prevent any of this, but because your father has done so much good with such a terrible curse, you have been given choices that were denied to him.”

Alice couldn’t help blinking back tears at that.  She said hoarsely, “He’s done terrible things.  I know that.  But he’s done so many more good things.  And he’s my daddy.”  She knew her father.  She knew some of the actions he took in his life were due to selfishness.  But as she said in the past, she loved her father entirely too much to put him on a pedestal.  He deserved better than that from her.  And … she wasn’t a child any more.  She asked hoarsely, “I can stay here for now?  Look after my son, look after my father, look after my unborn sister?”

“You may,” Gwyneth confirmed, “And both Clement and I will stay with you.  It will be good to have a sister again.”  That surprised a smile from Alice, who grew up as an only child.  And they were sisters of a kind as children of the Rift.  Gwyneth added slowly, “And your father is destined to do even more extraordinary things, things that even the Doctor is incapable of doing.”  Alice smirked, because she didn’t doubt that at all.  Gwyneth extended a hand to her, saying, “Come, sister.  I think you’ll be interested in this next drama.”  Alice took her hand … and found herself staring at Commander Johnson, in a UNIT cell.  She wondered a bit uncharitably if it was the same cell where Tosh spent so much of her time.  And then, she realized that it didn’t matter.  What mattered was that she would never hurt another human being.

The woman’s cell door opened and a tall figure stepped inside.  Alice was stunned to realize that it was none other than Lucas North, who wore a cold smile on his face.  He was still working with her father, then.  Good.  Alice would never forget the sight of Lucas protecting her son.  Gwyneth murmured, “He’ll be working with Jack even more, as the weeks go by. For now, just listen.”  Alice tightened her fingers around Gwyneth’s, feeling Clem’s arms wrap around her legs, just as Steven used to do.  She watched, and she listened … and she rejoiced.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

 

 

She’d been here six months … six months of mockery from the guards who brought her the slop they called dinner.  Six months of silence the rest of the time.  A person could go insane with only their own thoughts for company.  There were times when she thought she had gone insane.  Could she have disobeyed her orders?  Could she have taken a stand earlier?  What were the consequences if she had?  Would they have been worse than what she was currently facing?  She highly doubted it.  Several hours after Lucas North stuffed her into the boot of his car (telling her that he was leaving the backseat open for someone far more deserving than the likes of her), she was dragged out … only to come face to face with the one person Harkness answered to:  the Queen herself.  And she was most displeased with the actions taken in her name, using the royal ‘we’ to make sure that there was no doubt about it.

And so, she was jailed for high treason against the Crown.  There’d been a trial, and she’d even been permitted to speak on her own behalf, for all the good it did.  She’d been staring at the same four walls since the end of her trial.  At least, that was the case until earlier that day … or maybe it was the previous.  She really wasn’t sure of how time elapsed from the moment Lucas North appeared once more at her jail cell, this time with a blonde woman she recognized, and who looked at her as if she was nothing more than pond scum (maybe slightly lower), given the other woman’s icy contempt.  She was once more bundled in the boot of a car (smells like that you never forgot, even with a bag over your head), traveled an indeterminate distance, and walked to what she realized was an airplane.  The blonde woman buckled her into her seat, murmuring for North to ‘be careful.  I don’t much fancy breaking in another new agent.’ 

That won a soft laugh from her unwelcome companion (although, did she really want to stay in the prison?  No), and then there was only silence, aside from the roar of the engines and the wheels tucking into the plane.  She was permitted something to drink and to use the lavatory (with the assistance of the sole flight attendant, who was of course female), but that was it.  North had nothing to say to her (not that she was interested in anything that he had to say), not until the wheels touched down and he said quietly, “We’re here.”  In short order, she was unbuckled once more, descending steps with North’s bracing hand on her forearm, and then bundled into yet another car (not in the boot this time, thank God). 

What followed was yet another drive of indeterminate length, but she was willing to bet that they traveled at least two or three hours.  The only time North said anything was to ask a question of the driver, who spoke English with a slight accent.  She couldn’t quite place it, no matter how intently she listened to the conversation.  Occasionally, North would lapse into Russian, but the other man would chide him, ‘English, Luca, English!’  Luca?  Italian?  Maybe Eastern Europe?  It didn’t matter, not really.  She was just curious.

At long last, they came to a stop, and North pulled her out of the car, guiding her up a short series of steps, through a door and onto a hard wood floor.  A man called out to North in a language she recognized immediately as Italian, and North responded in kind … and he steered her in the direction of that voice.  He pulled her to a stop, in a room that smelled of death.  She was shoved to her knees, North ignoring her protesting growl, and said, “This is her, sir.  Her Majesty asked me to convey her gratitude for accepting her request.”

There was a raspy laugh, before the owner of the new voice answered, “Tell her that she is quite welcome.  Well, then.  Let me see her.”  That sent shivers down her spine, and she wasn’t about to say otherwise.  The hood was removed from her head for the first time in entirely too long.  She found herself facing a very old man, who studied her with disturbingly alert eyes.  At last, he said, “So.  This is the woman who placed a bomb inside a man who cannot stay dead, whose actions led to the deaths and injuries of ordinary citizens, to say nothing of millions of your pounds in property damage.”

She stiffened, retorting, “I followed my orders, believed that I was acting in the best interests of my …” She stopped as the old man leaned forward from his pushchair and gripped her chin tightly between his thumb and forefinger tightly.  His dark eyes blazed with a fury that had her swallowing hard.  She reminded herself to play things cool, that right now, he held all the cards and she had to be patient.  And then something unexpected happen … the man laughed.  He laughed, but the sound sent chills down her spine.

“You were acting in the best interests of your superiors, you little fool, and you’re not even really sorry for it.  Do you know who I am, little girl?  I came to this country with nothing … in fact, I had to steal to even get past Ellis Island.  And that wasn’t the end of my crimes.  I murdered the man I loved because I saw him come back to life, and then I turned him over to be a one-night freakshow.  I’ve spent the last eighty years watching over to him to atone.  You hurt that man, you foolish little girl.”

Eighty years … a man who couldn’t stay dead.  Johnson’s blood ran cold as she repeated those words in her mind.  The man before her smiled thinly, saying, “Ah, now you begin to understand.  Yes, now you begin to understand.  I know who you are … and now I will tell you who I am.  I am Angelo Colasanto, and you?  You are, as my great-grandchildren would say, now my bitch.”  With those words, Cordelia Johnson heard a door clang shut.  The Queen had asked this Colasanto person if she could send the disgraced agent here.  Her fate was sealed.

 

FIN

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we conclude ‘Days of Reckoning.’ Like I said, I can be vindictive, but I’ve had Angelo’s last comment in my head pretty much from the beginning. As to Clem’s surrogate mother, was anyone surprised to see Gwyneth from ‘The Unquiet Dead’ again? Tomorrow is my last full day in Italy, so if I have the chance, I’ll work on the prologue for ‘The Culling,’ otherwise, I’ll get started on it when I’ve recovered from my flight home on Tuesday. See you then!


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